Darling in the Future
by IotaIntheFRANXX
Summary: Following the canon events of Darling in the FranXX, a reincarnated Hiro and Zero Two become good friends under a sakura tree, where they bond. Torn apart by the surfacing memories that plague the reincarnated Zero Two's mind, they must once again find one another in the seemingly vast city of Strelizia.
1. Static, Her Name

Static.

* * *

"ZeXX XXx!"

* * *

 _No. Ignore it. It's just noise._ Noise that was taunting her, following her _everywhere_.

 _Get it out of my head. Stop haunting me. You've ruined my life!_

Static. _Leave me alone._

Too slow. A hooked punch landed on her right cheek, knocking her backwards. She stumbled to catch herself, and did so surprisingly quickly.

 _I need to be faster. I'm slouching. Ignore it. It's just noise._

Uppercut. A swift one with her right fist, directed at one of the assailant's jaw. A clean, quick move through and through. The blond boy didn't just reel, he flew. Several yards away, he landed on the monkey bars. Crunch. She could hear his back crack with the force of the impact.

 _Just like that. Three more. I got this._

She wiped the bit of blood from her mouth and spit even more into the dirt next to her, her strawberry pink hair bounced in the wind as she took a defensive stance. She had to hide her trembling body, cloak it with confidence.

"That can't be all. Come on, I'm one little girl. Thought you were gonna 'have your way' with me!" she taunted them. That's right, confidence. Show them who's boss. Don't let them see. A bit of a smirk formed on her face, baring a small fang in the corner of her mouth. She held her palm out flat and curled her fingers back quickly twice, in a beckoning gesture.

Two of the teenage boys rushed towards her, obviously falling for the taunt. Easy. The first, dark blue hair approached from her left. Throwing a wicked straight, making sure to step forward properly for more strength, the blow landed in his stomach. She chuckled as he doubled over in pain, about to vomit from the punch. Immediately after, she let loose an equally destructive roundhouse kick in the direction of the rushing black haired boy.

This one was tall and a bit muscular. She needed more force to bring him down. She added the appropriate extra force and aimed center mass. Fool. He tried to duck under her leg, figuring she was aiming for his neck. He was too slow and had miscalculated. Through trying to dodge, he had ironically provided her the vital he was trying to protect. The pink haired girl's smirk grew wider as she heard an audible crunch from the impact of her foot. The tall boy was thrown into the blue haired one on the ground, sending them a few feet away from her, and dragging dirt into their direction. Their friction caused a dislocation of dirt, a small trench of sorts.

Although she was wearing a forest green plaid miniskirt, she hadn't a care in the world for modesty. Her leg was raised high, poised there in confidence from the brawl. She slowly took a breath and lowered her right leg back to the ground. She began stumbling backwards. Everything she could see began to fade. Her vision blurred, and her breaths became irregular and shaky.

 _Shit. Gotta go. Wait. One, two, three… there was four. Where -_

Two arms reached underneath her own from behind and picked the girl up off her feet. Her eyes widened in fear. She had been careless. _Focus. Just. One. More._ Her vision was no longer blurred.

 _Channel it, but don't let it show._ Her face became one of pure rage as the skin around the bridge of her nose scrunched up. She clenched her fist with an iron grip. The line began to blur, but she didn't dare step over it. She didn't need it. She gritted her teeth tightly and felt her canines grow ever so slightly. With a focused mind, and what could only be heard as a carnivorous growl, the girl lowered her chin to her chest, and with tremendous power, whipped her head back into her assailant's face. Blood flew from the boy's nose and mouth, and coating the back of the black knit beanie that adorned the girl's head.

She was dropped back to her feet and she landed, her breaths returning to the nervous, breaking ones she had before. The teenage boy behind her curled up into a fetal position, holding his face with both hands, writhing and screaming in agony.

"Serves all of you right. Bunch of assholes and perverts." The girl delivered a swift kick to the groin of the boy that had grabbed her, causing him to transition his hands to between his legs. She didn't care that it may have been a bit too much. They deserved it.

Static.

* * *

"We'Xx a XxXXxxX fiX, huX?"

* * *

Static. _SHUT UP. SHUTUPSHUTUPSHUTUP! I DON'T CARE!_

Her thoughts began to meld with her voice. An ear piercing scream caught the attention of anyone in a mile radius as she clenched her head in aggravation of the thoughts that wouldn't FUCKING GO AWAY.

" _SHUT THE HELL UP!_ "

Blood dripped from both her palms as she tore into them with her nails, clenching her fist harder than she ever had before. These thoughts, these voices… she didn't ask for them. They had tortured her for years, and she could only dream of the day they left her be.

She did her best to hold back the tears. Sadness wasn't a luxury she could afford. In fact, she couldn't afford much of anything with her status. A homeless highschool punk was all she was. A roaming brawler. She had to steal and fight just to survive. She could look back on fonder days but she never wanted to. This was her life now. Everything was just so fucked up. Although admittedly, some days were better than others. On the worst days, she often thought of the possibility of the world being without her. On the best days, she had food and a roof over her head.

A bystander caught her attention, standing in the entrance to the small park she stood in, his cyan eyes looking over the carnage. His black and blue-accented school uniform was clean and well kept, much better than her own. It also was clearly different in design, more formal. A private school outfit, perhaps? Whatever. She had to go before the boys got back up. She was well aware she couldn't go another round. Today was a very bad day.

Ignoring the new arrival, the pink haired high schooler began walking - more like stumbling - in his direction. She was doing her very best to contain her weakened state. Her limping was minimal, but still prevalent enough that someone looking close enough could notice. As she reached the exit to the small park, the boy reached out to her. _Shit._

"Did… did you do this?" the boy questioned, his voice soft and concerned.

"Yeah, I did. Bastards wanted to cop a feel, so I kicked their asses." She couldn't help but look at his features. He was a bit shorter than her, but only by an inch or so, and admittedly she was somewhat tall for a 15 year old girl. He seemed fit, but his face screamed innocence, as if he was a kind individual. His layered, fluffy black hair flowed ever-so-slightly in the spring breeze.

 _Stop gawking. Gotta go. Now,_ the girl thought to herself firmly. She snapped her gaze from the boy and turned to her right, only to be stopped by a worried hand. He had gently grabbed her left arm.

"Are you okay? Did they hurt you? You're really dirty and you look like you're limping." So he was concerned for her condition. Cute, but it didn't matter. She still had to leave the area.

"Hands off." She slapped the boy's hand away from her arm and growled quietly. "I don't need pity. I'm perfectly capable of handling myself." Once again, she pulled her sight from his piercing blue eyes and began walking away. _He's going to be persistent. I might need to run to get away from him. I could certainly outspeed him._

"Wait. Please. I'm just trying to help. Can't I at least get your name?"

Static. Lots of it. Almost enough to make her body tremble. Through the static… she felt a form of deja vu.

* * *

"Name? Do we paXXXitXs eXXx have Xxes?" The voice echoed through the pink haired girl's very being. She began to tremble more violently as the memory continued further. She couldn't see anything, or figure out who the voices were but it was clearly getting more vivid. These weren't just thoughts. It wasn't a voice in her head. Her eyes widened as she realized what they were: memories. Someone else's memories.

"But, welX, my coXe is Zero ZeXX TXX. EverXXxX caXXs me ZXro Two." Tears welled up in the girl's pale green eyes. She truly trembled, with a pain and emptiness that she never wanted to feel. The feelings weren't her own. She didn't want to embrace them. She wanted them to FUCK OFF. She didn't care that the memories or whatever were getting clearer. They WERE NOT HERS SO THEY SHOULDN'T MATTER.

* * *

Her head filled with that crackling sound that tortured her on a daily basis.

Her heart filled with a longing and painful sorrow she didn't want to feel.

Her vision blurred as tears flowed freely. Try as she might, she couldn't stop them.

Her body shook with this horrible feeling that she couldn't quite describe. Was it fear?

The girl attempted to swallow, but some force rendered her mouth dry. She felt like she needed to scream.

The comforting hand laid itself on her shoulder, and startled her. Not from fear, but from relief. The raging tornado of feelings that wracked her body suddenly calmed.

"I'm sorry. I should have introduced myself first. I didn't mean to upset you." The boy's voice was an ocean wave against the volcanic emotions, soothing and calm. The trembling and tears stopped themselves in a hurry. Suddenly, the girl was filled with an overwhelming yearning for the boy's name. She wanted to hear it. He wasn't the one she was looking for, right? She had seen plenty of boys with his eyes and face. That hair though… it caught her attention like a well decorated house on Christmas.

"My name is Aihiko. My friends almost always just call me -" The boy's words fell on deaf ears. The pink haired girl was gone. He blinked once, then twice, unsure if the teenage girl was ever there to begin with.

 **( _Author's note: "Ai" means love, and "Hiko" can be translated as prince_ )**

" - Hiko…?"

 _Why? Why am I running? He was friendly, he just wanted to help._ It didn't matter. She only needed to hear his name to know she had to run. She held her beanie tightly as she sprinted past lifeless faces. She couldn't help but let the tears of pain and sorrow flow down her face and into the spring air. Her body ached and screamed at her for overexerting herself, especially on an empty stomach. Her thoughts transitioned to food, and her stomach grumbled for nourishment.

When was the last time she had eaten? Two? No, three days ago? That's right! She had a single piece of candy left from her candy store raid about a week ago. It wasn't even close to being a meal, but it would have to do.

Static. _No, GO AWAY._

She pushed her legs harder. _Faster._ Escape the emotions, the DAMN ENDLESS MEMORIES. The girl took a turn into a construction zone. She leapt over the gate, higher than any human could dream of jumping. She bobbed and weaved between wood boards and steel frames, just wanting to run.

 _Leave me alone!_

* * *

"Wow, your taste makes my heart race." A full, uninterrupted sentence. She had never had that happen before. The thoughts were always fragmented and seemingly censored by static. "It bites and lingers… the taste of danger."

* * *

 _Taste of danger? Who is this voice talking to? A person?_

Wait… tasting a person. Did she mirror this memory's actions all those years ago? No, that's impossible. There's no way. Right? That was around the time she had become a nervous wreck, so maybe… No! It was an act of impulse, and it ruined everything! Who the hell licks another person?!

Her thought process was stopped immediately by a steel bar impacting her left ankle. Not paying any attention to her surroundings, she tripped on a red horizontal bar on the ground. The pink haired girl soon found her face in the dirt underneath her. She barely had the stamina to raise herself up from where she hit the ground. A few construction workers noticed the seemingly lost girl and advanced towards her.

"Hey, what are you doing here? This place isn't for -"

"I know!" she cried out suddenly. "I'm leaving. I just got lost in my thoughts." She managed to raise herself to her feet and quickly dusted off her uniform. "I took a wrong turn is all." Taking a step made her extremely aware of just how hard she had hit her ankle. She ripped into her lower lip with her teeth, ignoring the aching of her wound.

Concerned, one of the men began to approach her further, seeing the pain written across her face.

"Here, miss. Let me help you. You look hur-"

"I'm not hurt! Leave me be!" If there was one thing in the world she hated, it was pity. Why would someone care if she was hurt? She could deal with it herself, just as she always had done. The pain never mattered, and she was always alone. She wanted it to stay that way. She wouldn't risk opening her heart to someone else ever again.

The pink haired high schooler eventually limped her way out of the construction yard and noticed a small, dark alleyway between two buildings across the street. There it was. Her escape from the world around her. It would only be a short respite, but she needed to let the pain from her ankle lessen before she even dared to continue roaming.

Slowly, but surely, the girl made her way over to the alleyway and made sure she was a few feet in before emptying the contents of her stomach behind the dumpster. There wasn't much to vomit up considering she hadn't eaten in days, but she couldn't help it. The overexertion did a number on her body and the fall only amplified the issue. She kneeled next to the repulsive mess she had created in case another round needed to escape. Heavy breath after heavy breath, her body screamed in pain and quivered. She was all too aware she needed to rest.

Another fluid began to meld with the vomit. Red and a bit viscous. Blood. Her right knee was bleeding, most likely from the fall. How bad was it? She crawled slowly to the opposite wall of the dumpster, making sure to stay mostly in the shadows. Placing her back to the wall and still trembling from the assaulting agony, she examined her knee, or rather just below it. Just a scrape. A deep scrape blemishing her thin porcelain skin, but one nonetheless. She figured it probably occurred when she tripped, the dirt there was solid and coarse, she recalled.

"Damn. I'm losing my edge… I might have to make my way there tonight." She gathered some bandages from the black purse-like bag at her side. Tearing it at a forgiving length, the homeless girl wrapped her leg in the material and pulled it tight to minimize the bleeding. Making a mental note on how scant her leftover bandages were, she placed them back in her bag and retrieved a lone, wrapped green candy. _Yeah, definitely have to go there to pick up supplies tonight._

Her last sweet. Her last morsel for that matter. She was famished and the small green candy was the only thing left to relieve her. Unwrapped and thrown into her mouth it went. She savored the flavor for but a moment - a fresh, sweet green apple. After acquiring the taste, she swiftly crushed the small treat between her teeth, shattering its hard outer shell and swallowing the resulting fragments. She didn't have the luxury of relishing the taste of the candy, she needed what minimal nourishment it provided.

Having taken the small sugary sweet, her eyes felt heavy and her vision began to blur once again. A small yawn escaped her lips, flashing her long fang-like canines to the world.

And so, the young girl slipped into an exhausted, well deserved sleep in the dark alley. Even as her pale green eyes closed themselves off from their surroundings, the sharp red makeup-like markings on the outside edge of them remained visible.

* * *

She was so familiar to him. Where had he seen her before? Clearly, she didn't go to the same school he did, but perhaps he had seen her roaming through the city? Maybe. He wouldn't forget someone that beautiful, so on second thought, maybe he had just dreamt of her?

"I didn't even get your name… I only wanted to help, you know," Aihiko commented to himself, strolling down the city streets only minutes after their encounter. "She looked beaten up and pale. I wonder if she just gets into fights? Maybe there's more to it than that…" He had decided to ask around, somebody had to notice a girl with long pink hair running away. It wasn't something you see every day.

Exactly. She was special. Exotic, unique. He wouldn't forget her if he met her before. _Think. Remember._ Who else had he seen recently that resembled that girl…?

"Wait. Not recently." Aihiko stopped in his tracks, viewing a construction yard just in front of him. Hard capped workers were working frivolously to complete whatever structure was going to be built in its place. It seemed small. Maybe a convenience store? "I'm thinking about this the wrong way. What if…"

 _Could she really be the same girl from all the way back then? The girl I met under the sakura tree that one spring? How long has it been since she never came back? About 7 years I suppose… ?_

Surely she didn't still hate him for what he said back then? Admittedly, he had said some rude things, and he could have handled the situation better, but to be fair, she had indeed licked him and commented on his 'flavor'. Seriously, who licks someone all casually and acts all excited from the way they taste, like they're some kind of candy? Think. What was her name? A smile of relief and a hand on his heart reminded the boy of his long lost friend.

"Sakura. Don't worry, I'm coming for you. I'll find you again, I swear it." With a clear goal in his mind, a determined, young black haired boy searched the city for his first friend. He was certain that was her he met all those years ago.

Several civilians had pointed him in the direction of the construction zone, where they had witnessed the girl bound over the 8 foot high gate into the yard. Well, she was fit, at least. No wonder she did such a number on those creeps. Still, jumping 8 feet is quite the accomplishment. _How did she manage that the way she was limping?_ He pondered the possibilities as he approached the gate. His vision was met by two small, shoe like indentations in the dirt on the other side.

"She was definitely here." Everything lined up right. Aihiko looked to a nearby group of workers and called to them. "Hey! Excuse me, sirs? I have a question!" One of the men noticed the voice, and paused his conversation with the other. He was tall and muscular, and looked quite like a grizzly bear. His hair, mustache, and beard were overgrown and a dark brown.

"Sorry to bother you, sir. I just have a quick question," the boy with cyan eyes continued, with proper manners.

"Go ahead. And then skedaddle, school boy. We are busy." The scruff, large man clearly wasn't in a mood to have a conversation. He was probably a bit pissed he was interrupted from his break.

"Forgive me. I am looking for a friend of mine. She's sorta tall, long pink hair. Can't miss her."

"Can't miss her, that's for sure," the large man replied. "Came sprinting in through like a bat out of hell. No idea how she got in here or why she was running."

"Yeah, yeah that's her! Do you happen to know where she went?"

"Not me, no. But maybe someone else in here can help you. One second, kid." The man picked up a yellow radio that was strapped to his belt, turned a dial, and pushed a thick button on the side as he placed it to his mouth. "Anyone know where that pink haired lass ran off to? Got a kid here, says he's friends with her and wants to know where she went."

A few seconds passed in silence. The teenage boy swallowed nervously, hoping someone had an answer. _Come on…_

A buzz and a crackle came from the device, followed by a voice. "Yeah, I saw her. Tried to help her up after a fall and she yelled at me, saying she didn't need help. I think she walked across the street from this side, but I never saw her leave that alley across the street."

"An alley? Why wouldn't she go home?"

"Alrighty. Thanks for the help, my man. Seems the kid has his answer," the bear like man responded into his radio. His demeanor seemed to have changed to a more welcoming one. "We don't normally let anyone in here, but I'll let you cut through for her. Young love is a wonderful thing."

A bright red blush came over the boy's face. Love? It wasn't love, it was just out of concern. Right? Sure, she was beautiful and precious and… no, he hadn't fallen in love. It was purely out of concern. That's it.

"No, she's just a friend. She got into a fight up the street, and I wanted to make sure she was alright." Aihiko's words went unheard by the large man who pushed aside the metal gate to allow room for the boy.

"Yeah, yeah. Get your ass through here before I get in trouble."

"Y-yes sir! Thank you very much!" He bowed quickly in respect for the older man and dashed through to the other exit on the other side. A small trail of blood was left in the dirt off to the side, and droplets leading to the alleyway that was spoken of were evident. He was on her trail, without a doubt. He exited the yard and looked both ways before dashing across the street safely.

Following the obvious trail of blood into the alleyway, Aihiko smiled, and his heart relaxed for the first time in the past hour. There she was, passed out against the wall of a building, she probably tried to hide amongst the shadows. He had found her again, and this time, he wouldn't let her escape. He had to apologize for all those years ago.

"Sakura… I found you." The boy began to approach and noticed a haphazardly placed bandage wrapping her shin, stained a deep red from the wound beneath. He was glad she was asleep, she wouldn't notice his affectionate staring. He couldn't keep his eyes from her face as he kneeled down next to her bandaged leg. She just seemed so peaceful. Almost angelic.

The affection soon turned to deep concern as he inspected the girl for any other wounds. Both hands were stained with dried blood, either her own or her prey's. He wasn't sure who's. Upon a closer look, there wasn't only dried blood, there was apparent scarring. They were straight, across the back of her palms and up her wrists. Those weren't just from fights. The boy bit his lip gently at his assumption.

Were these… from her? Had she cut herself? Perhaps the girl had more serious problems than her tendency to lick people. Aihiko continued his examination of the unconscious subject, hoping to not discover any more possible difficulties. _She's pale. And maybe a bit too thin. She could be malnourished. No wonder she thought this was a good place to nap. She's homeless. She's also covered in blood and sweat. She needs a bath and for this outfit of her's to be washed._

"Alright then, Sakura. You seem to be having a rough life. But don't worry, I'll get you back on your feet." The now cautiously content boy was glad he had found her. If he let her get away again, who knows what could happen to her? If she was homeless, he simply had to provide one for her. It's not like she would have a lot of possessions to take up space. "Come on, then. You're gonna stay at my place for a bit, okay?"

Aihiko took off his backpack and slipped the straps around her arms and shoulders, and managed to hoist her onto his back, her arms hanging limply over his shoulders. He grabbed her bag with his right arm and supported both her thighs with his arms, making sure to hunch over a bit so she wouldn't slide off his back.

 _Her legs are so soft… I've never touched a girl like this…_ He quickly shook his head back and forth as a small blush rose to the surface of his face. _Don't be a pervert right now. She needs help._ He had no problem carrying her the whole way back to his home, even though it was a fair distance opposite the direction she had run in earlier. The boy noted her weight, the little punk was significantly lighter than she should be. _Definitely not eating enough,_ he thought to himself.

Sunlight for the day was just about extinguished. The moon crept over the horizon, signifying the transition from afternoon to evening. Just as the boy had reached his quaint home, the last lights of the day vanished. He was admittedly quite exhausted, even if the pink haired angel on his back was fairly light, he had travelled quite a distance. Two or three miles, he estimated. He twisted his head to view her status. A smile crept across his face as he felt her quiet, soft breaths on the back his neck. She was still with him.

The door in front of the well dressed school boy opened with a start, and out peeked an older woman, her faced plagued by relief and concern. Her eyes were a deep blue and her hair layered, fluffy and black. Aihiko grinned at the woman who had greeted him home.

"I'm home, Momma. Forgive me for returning home so late, I um… ran into an old friend." The boy nodded his head to the limp figure on his back. His mother glared at the figure and its features, and then gave the boy a strong, stern look.

"Hiko, you were out and about with a girl, and you didn't even bother to call me?"

"Oh jeez… forgive me, Momma. I didn't mean to leave you in the dark. It was really important that I stayed focused on her trail. I hadn't even thought about calling you. May I come in? I'm really tired from carrying her all the way here."

"Why exactly is this girl so important that you had to carry her to our home?" The woman inquired as she stepped aside to allow the boy space to enter the house. Hiko entered the household and was greeted by the savory aroma of his mother's cooking. He chuckled, knowing she wasn't prepared for the answer to her question.

"You won't believe who she is, Momma. I found her, after all these years." He continued as he steered himself through the household, until he came across a couch in the living room. Ever so carefully, he slid the girl off his back and seated her properly on the piece of furniture before removing the black backpack that he had placed on her. He dropped the backpack onto the ground, making an audible thump from the contents within. "Do you remember the girl I met under the tree, about 7 years ago? The one I shared the picture book with? She gave me a candy in return. What was it? Chocolate maple red bean flavor I think?"

"I remember! She was your first friend!" His mother's face had already lit up like a Christmas tree. "Oh it seems like just yesterday you two met. She was a complete sweetheart."

"Momma, this is her now. I'm absolutely positive. There's not a doubt in my mind." He turned to face the pink haired girl and smiled lovingly, admiring her beauty for a few moments before returning his vision to the direction of his seemingly belated mother.

Her eyes were filled to the brim with tears, and her hands were covering her mouth, as if she had just seen the most heartbreaking scene of a movie.

"Are you absolutely certain?" the woman queried. Her voice cracked and shook with disbelief.

The boy nodded in reply. "One hundred and twenty percent. Who else has pink hair and looks like an angel?"

"Aihiko. She…" his mother choked out through tears. Why was she being so emotional over this? She knew something he didn't.

"Momma? What's wrong?"

"Her parents. They were killed, shortly after you two stopped meeting. There was a crash, and both of the occupants were identified…" Tears flowed down the distraught woman's face as she recalled the memory. "After that night, their daughter was never seen again. She was assumed dead since then. I never wanted to tell you that your friend had died an orphan."

He turned to face the girl once again, a knot forming in his heart. He wasn't so certain this was her anymore. How could he be sure? No, he shouldn't let this revelation cloud his certainty. If she was homeless, then everything lined up. She was _assumed_ to be dead, not confirmed.

"This is her, then. Without a doubt. If she was orphaned, then it makes sense what I've discovered. Everything falls into place. She's homeless because she lost her parents. Although that would mean…" The knot grew in his heart, irritating the boy to no end. This information bothered him, worried him even further about her condition. He reached up with his hand and squeezed his chest through his black blazer. "...she's been on the streets this whole time. Fending for herself. Fighting tooth and nail just to get by."

"That's… ridiculous. 6 years of being homeless…" she continued to doubt the possibility, even though everything made sense. "She would have been found."

The boy turned to his mother, tears now freely flowing down his face. He managed a pained smile as his hands trembled from the discomfort in his chest. His bottom lip quivering, voice shaking and just as emotional from the reunion, he replied matter-of-factly.

"She _has_ been found. _I_ found her, Momma. This is Sakura."

* * *

Chapter One - **Static** / **Her Name**

 **( _Fun Fact: This story was actually inspired heavily by the Ending Credits 1 and 5, Torikago and Escape respectively. I've obviously changed some aesthetics to fit the narrative better, but the idea came to me seeing Zero Two dressed as a school girl running, as the blue and red X's flash on the screen. It made me think of static and her previous life's memories haunting her and she only wants to run from them and be free, like a bird._ )**


	2. Shackled, His Curiosity

Static. _Not this again. I'm exhausted. Leave me be, please._

* * *

Piercing blue eyes. No, not _just_ blue. A calming ice blue. They stared up at her, clearly concerned. The owner's face was dripping from sweat, strewn about his face as if he had just run a mile.

 _What… is this? He looks like... But I've never seen anything. They've always been voices._

"You'rX… What are XxX doXXx in XXere…?" She still refused to accept the memories. But maybe now that she could view them… no. She pushed the voices and visions away. They ruined her. Even as she did so, it felt like her eyes were fixated on the boy standing just below her. His speech was covered by that irritating static, so she couldn't make out what he was trying to say.

Another voice. It was… so extremely familiar, almost the same as her own.

"I'm going monXXxX huXxXXx, of course." Damn static.

She couldn't make out the strange surroundings past the boy's head. It was almost as if whoever the memory belonged to was focusing solely on the face of the innocent, worried face of the boy below her. Why did this boy resemble _him_ so much? Not exactly, he seemed a bit slimmer and younger perhaps, but still, they could practically be twins.

In the distance was a large figure. It stood still and seemed to pulsate with neon blue color. Black and neon blue was all she could gather though. The sight was almost hazy. All around the looming dark shape was a barren landscape. No grass, no trees, no life. _A desert? The hell?!_ _WHERE IS THIS?!_ The scene was nothing she had ever experienced before. The lack of greenery or urban structures unsettled the viewer, it frightened her.

The next few words out of the teenager below her shook her to her very core. It was entirely unblemished by the static that shrouded most of the voices in her head. Somewhere, deep in the pink haired girl's very heart, her very soul, she knew what he meant.

"You're going to pilot this robot alone?" The boy raised his head as he took a step forward, clenching his fists. His voice seemed almost frightened by the assumption he had made. _Pilot a robot? What the hell do you mean by that? TELL ME!_

It was there, on the tip of her tongue. The word that she sought. That single word that would bring about so many emotions. What was - wait, why did she care all of a sudden? These weren't her memories. She didn't care. She never had and never will. No matter what emotions the visions caused to arise in the pink haired punk, she couldn't give in. The girl turned a blind eye to the scene presented to her.

* * *

 _I want nothing to do with these. Please, go haunt someone else. I'm begging you._

 ** _(Slight edit to the dialogue below, in case anyone is interested. I believed the interaction of the character in the mirror to be a bit too aggressive and forceful, which did not fit her. Hopefully this should solve that.)_**

"I can't do that. You're my only chance. I need to be with him. Please, I need him." The voice that resembled her own echoed in her mind suddenly. The scene from before was shattered, and in its place, a mirror was placed. The rose gold mirror's frame was made up of well crafted, sculptured shapes of birds in flight. With… two heads?

As she peered into the mirror occupying the space ahead of her, all she saw was herself. An exact replica, just like a mirror should show. A reflection. So why then, was this reflection acting like its own person?

 _Wait a moment. I've never seen any clothes that resemble that uniform. That can't be me._

The girl in the mirror indeed had the same hair, eyes, and face as herself. That was clear. But her uniform, it was a dark red color, featuring a zipper from the collar, down to the skirt on the left hand side. The top resembled a somewhat formal dress, decorated with two columns of three black, shiny buttons on the torso. Just beneath the lowest two buttons, was a black belt, with a sharp, arrow like pattern that only made it just past the reflection's waist, but only seemed to wrap around two-thirds of her frame. The collar seemed to stand out, almost out place from the rest of the top piece. Instead of red, the collar was white, and the separate coloration extended down to about her collarbone, and just above the ivory collar lied an orange tie. The shoulders of the long sleeved dress seemed to be covered by two large silver and ebony epaulettes, sporting the same arrow like design as the belt. Underneath the strange military-like uniform, the look alike wore black tights, and for footwear, a pair of white boots.

Well, whoever she was, the doppelganger had a strange taste in clothing. Although she didn't seem to look _bad_ , per se. In fact, the outfit quite complimented her, showing off her curves and long, thin legs in a very modest manner.

 _Who are you? And what are you talking about? I'm not about to give in to anything._

"I'm you," the reflection resumed, her mouth moving all on its own. "Or rather, you are me. And I made a promise a _long_ time ago. I need to return to his side. And you're going to bring me to him."

 _THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT?! WHAT PROMISE?!_ She was getting fed up with these damn cryptic voices and visions. As much as she wanted them to go away, there was a small piece of her that wanted some answers, and it had risen to the surface. _TELL ME RIGHT THIS FUCKING INSTANT!_

"We made a promise that if we were ever torn apart, we would come get one another. And currently, you're the only one that can deliver me to him. You and I… we are the same. Right down to _those._ " The reflection raised her hand and pointed at the top of the punk's head, where her beanie was. That's right. It was clear now, she had ignored them up to this point. Those ugly, repulsive, inhuman things. Yet there they were, bright and shining a sinister red on her reflection.

"It took me a long time to accept them, too. If you would stop pushing me away and accept me, you'd know that. Yet, you keep resisting. I _will_ have my way, so just let me in." The being in the mirror almost snarled, she could sense the hostility from her reflection.

 _Like hell you will. This is my body, my life. You're just some ridiculous voice in my head trying to scare me. This all is just in my head. It's just a dream._

The figure had enough.

"A dream? You're just like one of them from back then. Getting in my way and tearing us apart."

She felt her heart almost stop. Everything became black. She was swallowed by a void, and it was freezing cold. Wait, _cold_? _You can't feel in a dream._ The looming entity on the other side of the mirror decided to make its presence known.

Its eyes became a fierce, determined crimson, radiating the hue across the void. The glow was the only source of light, two blood red lights amidst the deep darkness. The strong, fearless mask that the homeless girl had worn for years could not protect her here.

Teeth were bared, she could just make them out thanks to the vermilion flares. The girl was experiencing true fear. She was frozen where she was, there was no escape. She was a bug trapped in a spider's web. Prey for the predator.

"If you're going to hold me back from seeing him, I'll have to force you to surrender... I didn't want it to come to this, but you're starting to really frustrate me. For years, I've been gentle and passive about my influence. But you just keep turning a blind eye," the figure almost monologued. "I've just had enough. I want to see my darling."

Thump. Thump. Thumpthump thumpthump thumpthumpthump.

Her heart rate increased at an exponential rate. For once in her life, she was frightened.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. The hostile doppelganger began its approach, the impact of its boots echoing in the void.

Glass came crashing down to the floor. The look alike no longer resided on the opposite side.

Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap.

It came closer. Closer still. Her breath wouldn't steady. She felt her body quiver and wanted to run, but she was a deer in headlights.

Just inches away, the apparition lifted her hands to the girl's throat.

 _Is this where I die…?_

She could feel the hands grip her neck. She could _feel_ them. This was _definitely_ not a dream.

 _Kill me then._

The gasps for breath she experienced were not of her own volition. Just a fight or flight response. Her body wanted to live, but she was ready to give up.

 _Nobody will miss me. I've lived alone, I'll die alone._

"You really are me. You're not afraid of death, huh?" The voice pierced her soul as she felt the life draining from her body. It wasn't really pain. It felt more like… relief. She didn't have to fight anymore. It was over. The scarlet strangler seemed solemn as it stared straight forward at its prey. The deed was just about done. "I never wanted to do this... but... I'm sorry. I have a promise to fulfill."

Vision began to fade. Her eyes began to roll back into her head. She embraced the deep, dark solitude of death.

* * *

"SAKURA! SAKURA WAKE UP! PLEASE!" She knew that voice. It was so familiar. Who was it calling for? Her? No, she was dead. _Just one more memory to send me off, huh? Damn bitch._

"SAKUra…! Please…!" The voice cracked. Were they… crying? Why did they sound… nearby? _Am I not dead?_ She began to feel her body being forcefully jerked around. Wait. She _felt_ something again. She wasn't dead?! _WHAT A FUCKING RIP OFF!_

The girl inhaled sharply, her eyes shot open with a start. It was a chore just to breathe. She whipped her whole body into an upwards position, hand on her pounding heart. Her eyes searched the unfamiliar surroundings for an answer. Who had brought her back to life?

There was her answer. Aihiko stood just an arm's length away from her, his eyes welled up with tears, with even more pouring down his innocent face. What was going on? The last thing she remembered was passing out in the alleyway. Had he found her? _Shit. Shitshitshit._

She opened her mouth to assault the boy with reprimands and the like. Just as breathing had become restricted, so too had her speech. She wanted to demand what the FUCKING HELL was going on, but only a few small whines and squeaks escaped her lips. The recoil was immediate. She felt like she was about to choke on the drought that plagued her mouth and throat. The pink haired girl swiftly pointed to her neck repeatedly, begging for relief.

The teenage boy's eyes went wide with fear and he took off, sprinting away to who-knows-where just as her body was forced to hack and cough on the air around her.

 _Ah, so he understood._ Aihiko returned as quick as he had left, with a glass filled with water.

"Here! Do you need help drinking it?" It was an innocent question, but it was quickly met with a sudden, rude response. She quickly shook her head, indicating she wasn't in need of such treatment. She could take care of herself.

With another grunt, this time of displeasure, she swiped the glass from the boy and downed it. The ice cooled liquid returned life and moisture to her mouth and throat, but she needed more.

"Eugh!" the girl managed another grunt as she thrust the glass back at the boy, demanding a refill.

"Sure, no problem!" Aihiko responded promptly, as the worry on his face transitioned to that of relief. He retrieved the glass from his pink haired friend and set off to refill the glass in another room.

 _Fantastic. I guess not eating or drinking anything finally took its toll on me. Speaking isn't gonna work, huh?_ Remembering the last vision she had, the girl reached up to confirm the presence of the black beanie she always wore. _Well at least this didn't fall off._

If it had, he wouldn't just be pitying her, he would be _afraid_. That was the last thing she needed from the kind boy. After all, this was the boy she was searching for all these years. She hadn't wanted him to see her in such a miserable state, but what was done, was done. The very least she could do is keep her secret, just that - a secret.

Her eyes swept across the foreign room, taking in all the details as she awaited his return. The small room was painted a bland beige with a few comfortable looking seats of a matching color in a semi circle, and there weren't many decorations besides a few family photos hanging from the wall. A particular one caught her attention, to her left.

It looked like a beloved family photo. A young Aihiko was getting a piggyback ride from what seemed to be his father, and his mother appeared to be laughing in the background. It was a really sweet looking photo, and it brought back memories of her mother.

She recalled something her mother used to say to her. She couldn't help but sob, her stomach and heart tightened as the memory burst forth from its cage in her heart.

* * *

" _You are so special. No one will shine as bright, my dear."_

* * *

 _You couldn't be more wrong, Mother. I'm a failure. I'm… a monster. The proof is right -_

"Here." The girl lost in her thoughts snapped her head to the sudden voice that interrupted her. "I'm also making some okayu so you can eat. I can tell you're not getting enough nourishment."

 _ **(Author's Note: Okayu is japanese rice porridge, generally consisting of rice, water, and sometimes light toppings. It's easily digestible and commonly eaten when someone is recovering from an illness, or doesn't have much of an appetite.)**_

The boy with the fluffy black hair handed the glass back to her, with a bright, loving smile on his face. She reluctantly took the glass, her hands shaking from her sudden indulgence in the caged section of her mind. Her unsteady hands were cupped by another pair, offering assistance.

"You're crying. Did you have another bad dream? Anything I can do to ease the burden?" His voice was soft and caring as he lowered his head to match her gaze. He took great care in making sure not to startle her again.

Could she trust him? Could he be the key to opening those locked gates in her heart?

He seemed so pure and innocent, his eyes gentle and welcoming. She felt as if her cares melted away just by being in his view. Those icy blue orbs held her captive for several moments, she didn't dare move or blink.

How could a single being hold this much power over her, just by looking into her eyes?

What the girl did next shocked them both. As if to express her thanks for caring for her, she tilted her head ever-so-slightly to the side, closed her eyes…

...and smiled.

The strong, dominant female punk facade melted before Aihiko's eyes. Just like an angel, her face shone brightly, beckoning the blood to rise to the surface of the teenage boy's face, and it did just that. Hiko's face became flush as he savored the beautiful moment that nature had bestowed upon him.

"Y-y-you should p-probably drink the uh water… y-you need it," he interrupted the sweet smile suddenly, his pupils flashing back and forth from the girl and a random section of the wall.

That precious smile faded. The now renewed feelings of trust for the gentle boy caused the green eyed sweetheart to accept the offers of help. She needed to let her pride slip, at least long enough for her to recover. She contemplated running off that night, but just as she had predicted earlier, he was a persistent one. She wouldn't be able to escape forever.

 _How bad could it be to not be alone for once?_ For someone to give a damn about her?

The girl sighed and nodded to the suggestion, her hands now steady once again. She managed a gentle, grateful grunt as she began to sip on the water in the glass.

"I'm so glad you're alright. You were sleeping quite well until just a few minutes ago…" That protective, concerned face revealed itself on her caretaker, causing that irritating discomfort to form in her chest again. "You just suddenly started choking on something. I honestly thought you were dying."

 _Dying? Oh, you don't know the half of it. I thought that dream was real, but it makes more sense that candy got lodged in my throat or something._

"By the way, it'll take some time until your food is ready. So uh…" the boy trailed off, his thoughts obviously derailing. He shook his head suddenly and cleared his throat as if to distract her from his increasingly red face. "Y-you're bloody and dirty. So is your uniform. My Momma set aside some spare clothes for you so you could shower, and I'll clean your uniform in the meantime. How's that sound? By the time you are done cleaning up, your food should be ready."

 _A shower? I haven't showered in how long…? I guess long enough that I can't even remember. Being gross and filthy isn't exactly attractive either. I suppose it would do me some good. Wait. Why exactly do I care about being attractive?_

Was this boy causing her to act this way? Did he drug her somehow? No, he wouldn't, that's not the boy she knew. Was she…

 _Pfft. As if I'd have feelings for this private school nerd._

Back to reality. As she downed the remaining half glass of water, the girl replied to the shower offer with a pleased nod. She actually wanted to thank him. She finally felt as if she wasn't alone anymore.

 _Strange, how a single person can change your perspective on life._

"Just leave your uniform on the washer outside the bathing room. I'll swap it with the fresh clothes Momma left out and a clean towel for you. Take as long as you like, really. You seem tense and stressed so just relax for me, okay? Momma and I will take care of everything."

The girl wasn't so sure what he meant by that. 'Take care of everything'? Was he expecting her to live here, with him?

 _I don't think it would be bad for my health,_ she reckoned as she tried to stand. Bad move. She winced in agony as her left foot gave out underneath her. She had forgotten about her injured ankle up until now.

Luckily, her caretaker had lightning fast reflexes. His class though… could use some work.

His right arm had wrapped around her back, supporting her weight with little effort. His left hand though, had been firmly placed in a place most teenage boys could only dream of. Instead of wrapping around her body, it had instead planted itself onto his pink haired friend's right breast. She could feel the shamefaced Aihiko begin to tremble as he stumbled over whatever words he was trying to say. His mouth agape and his face cherry red, she couldn't help but find his reaction insanely cute.

She on the other hand, couldn't care less about the haphazard placement of his hand and was very nonchalant about the ordeal. She groaned as she lifted herself away from the careless teenager, and put most of her weight on her right foot, which was significantly less painful.

Upon acquiring her balance once again, she turned to the still stunned boy, his left hand still expanding and contracting as if groping her.

 _Must have left a good impression. How about one more?_

The high-schooler cleared her throat to gain his attention. He snapped from his trance and turned his head to face her, his cheeks still stained red. She thought he was incredibly adorable when embarrassed, and decided to lay the charm on even thicker.

Her mouth open slightly, she raised her right index finger and placed it gently on her lower, luscious lip, and began gradually tracing it, and as she did so, gave the already sheepish boy a sexy, flirtatious wink.

Bam! Direct hit. She could sense his emotional state struggle to stay grounded. Her small gesture rendered him dumbstruck as his hands changed forms rapidly, trying to somehow form a proper articulate response, but she knew all too well that it would take some time for Aihiko to recover.

Being extremely careful not to force her left ankle, the girl limped to the bathroom, a devious grin plastered across her face. This would be fun. Maybe hanging around him would provide her some entertainment in her otherwise boring life.

In the entrance to the bathroom, she removed her green plaid skirt by lowering the zipper on her right hip, and letting the cloth flop to the ground. Her black leather school shoes had already been removed, she noted. It was proper manners to leave one's shoes at the entrance to the household, and as such, she determined they were removed upon arrival. Her knee-high black socks, however had not been.

She delicately slipped each one off of her legs, making sure to sit herself on the floor to not lose balance again. Dried blood had already stained the sock that was unfortunate enough to be placed below her wounded knee. Each sock was tossed uncaringly onto the skirt on the tiled floor. Next, a silky, gray tie found itself undone and tossed aside with the same lack of concern as the other pieces of clothing.

After removing the thin red scarf and pale brown blazer from her body, and tossing them into the growing pile, the girl turned her attention to the surprisingly unstained, smoky, collared button-up covering her torso. That too, was soon removed after undoing the buttons that kept the shirt fastened around her body. Slipped off her arms and shoulders, and tossed into the pile of filthy garments it went, followed soon after by the remaining pair of matching colorless underwear.

The girl pulled herself to her feet once again and bent down - making sure to put her weight on her right foot - and scooped up the garbled mess of colors and materials.

 _On the washer, he said. This thing?_ Her attention turned to a large, steel box behind her. _Guess so. Whatever._ Without even folding her uniform, she placed it on top of the metal contraption.

Something had caught her attention as she limped gently to the sink and mirror, tossing her beanie onto the washer as well. She hadn't heard any static in some time. No voices. Everything had been crystal clear, she was finally able to hear her own thoughts without issue.

Was it him? Had he removed the curse placed upon her? The one that tortured her daily?

...

No.

Why would she ever believe she was free?

Her heart skipped a beat. She became weak in her knees. The mirror proved she was still shackled to that other version of herself.

She swallowed hard. Her throat was dry.

Her hands weakly raised themselves to her throat. It held all the evidence she needed. The deep red bruises stained her neck, in the pattern of two feminine hands that had attempted to strangle the life from her.

* * *

 _Th-that - that little devil! She knew what she w-was doing the whole d-damn time!_

Aihiko struggled with composing himself after the pink seductress had left the room. He had a hard time breathing or forming thoughts, and he felt feverish.

Not once had he interacted with a person - let alone a girl - like that! He certainly hadn't meant to grope her, but… it excited him. The sensation had filled him to the brim with arousal and curiosity, some instinct deep inside him wanted to do it again.

 _Stop thinking about them!_ Try as he might, the thought would not give him such freedom. His teenage mind began to imagine something he honestly never thought he would - her naked body. Girls had never interested him to that extent, so why was she any different?

The discomfort in his trousers grew as he bit his lip, wondering how her pale white skin would look, dripping wet in the shower. Sure, she was malnourished and thin, but she was blessed with a relatively well-shaped body, and her long, thin legs were nothing to scoff at either. He wouldn't exactly call her voluptuous, but sexy? Without a doubt.

 _Aghhh! Stop thinking about it! Don't be a pervert, Hiko! She's just another friend, she deserves your respect! But I can't stop thinking about her round, soft… No! Bad!_

To snap himself from his thoughts, the boy wound his hand back and whipped his hand into his cheek, causing a loud, audible slap.

 _Get a grip!_ As if to ease the pain, the same hand massaged the skin where it had impacted. The mark left from the slap was hardly noticeable, as the boy was still quite flush.

Hiko began to take some deep breaths and focused himself once again, adjusting his somewhat tight shorts to relieve a bit of the tension. As much as he tried, the image of a nude Sakura in the shower still lingered within his mind, but he now paid it little attention. He approached the first bathroom door and listened, only to make sure the girl had entered the other room, and was showering. The symphony of water droplets flowing from the shower head confirmed that she was already in the bathing room.

Carefully, and cautiously, the boy slid open the wooden door leading to the initial washroom, featuring a sink, a mirror just above it, and the washer and dryer taking up the opposing wall. Steam was rising from the space underneath the other slide-open wooden door, which separated the washroom from the bathing room.

He opened his mouth to say something to the girl on the other side of the door but determined that now was not the best time to say anything. He didn't want to be seen as some sort of sexual deviant. Best to just swap out her clothes and leave. Without a word, he proceeded over to the mess of a uniform laying on the top of the metal washer.

Opening the washer door was a simple task, he only had to tug on the handle like hatch securing the interior of the contraption from the exterior. The process was relatively silent, and he doubted it would bother the bathing girl. He reached up and began to toss the outfit into the washer, piece by piece, as something had piqued his teenage curiosity. The feeling of her soft handfuls of flesh came to mind as he stared inside the machine.

 _She wouldn't mind right…? It's not like it'll hurt anything if I know… I just wanna know what I'm dealing with._

After making sure nobody was watching, Hiko snatched the white bra from the mess in the washer. He swallowed nervously, his adam's apple bouncing upwards on his neck as he wondered if he should give in to the inquisitiveness. He turned the under garment around a few times, searching for something. Bingo.

 _D60?_ Blessed, indeed. _For being malnourished, she's developed quite well. I wonder if it's even the right size? She probably wouldn't know how to measure herself unless someone else did it. Oh well._

 _ **(D60 is a Japanese bra measurement. It is roughly a 28C in the United States.)**_

The black haired boy tossed the bra back into the machine and closed the small window, which was also the hatch dividing the in from the out. After pouring in the proper detergent, Hiko pressed a few buttons on the sort of dashboard rising from the back of the washer, prompting it to begin the cleaning cycle. He nodded as it did so relatively silently, making a mental note that due to the small load, it wouldn't take all too long.

After placing a white bath towel in her clothes' place, Hiko then also laid out a temporary outfit for the girl to wear. It wasn't much, just a casual, white dress, with a red stripe running diagonally from the left shoulder down to the waist, and then reversing on the back side to create a sort of band. For lack of any underwear for a teenage girl, Hiko had left a clean pair of black shorts, hoping dearly she wouldn't mind.

A short trip back to the quaint family room reminded Hiko of something he had planned on doing earlier that evening. His eyes were locked on the girl's black school bag. The plan was only to find out her name and identity, to confirm his suspicions, and nothing more. However, he hadn't gotten the chance since she had almost choked to death on seemingly nothing.

He was not keen on the idea of going through someone else's belongings, especially a girl's, but some part of him felt it was necessary to confirm her identity. Perhaps he did have doubts, even though he convinced himself otherwise.

A single zipper lining the length of the bag was all that stopped the boy from putting his mind at ease. He knelt down beside the couch where the shoulder bag was positioned, took a deep breath, and without further hesitation, pulled the zipper from one side to the other.

A few items were contained in the bag, some more out of place than others. As Aihiko explored the container, he began placing the contents on the floor around him.

 _A large wrap of gauze, almost all used up. Guess she was aware that she'd always have injuries…_

 _An empty bottle of pain meds? Makes sense too, I suppose. A generic, no name brand. She probably stole it from a store…_

 _A metal nail file? She doesn't seem the type to need to maintain appearances.. And why does it have red flakes on it? Blood, maybe?_

Hiko sighed. _Dammit… I really had hoped I was wrong…_ He pulled out a butterfly knife, its blade clearly crusted with dried blood. It didn't look like it was used recently. _That's good at least. I think._

He lifted the next item from the bottom of the bag, a college ruled notebook. It's cover was a red, flimsy plastic with scuffs all about, from being thrown around inside the bag, no doubt. Written on the cover with comically childish handwriting was the girl's name: Zakura.

 _That's actually… really cute. She doesn't even know how to spell her own name. She used a Z instead of an S, and her handwriting could_ really _be improved upon. I wonder if her notes are as bad as this?_

Upon opening the notebook to its very first page, Aihiko was made blatantly aware of what 'Zakura' often did in class. His eyes widened, not from fear, but from pure shock of the view of what was contained on the page.

 _What…_

The sketch on the page was mindblowingly detailed. It was even colored by pencils. Photorealistic, a tall, shining blue and white, woman-like mech stood, taking up the entirety of the page.

 _Is…_

A large majority of the mech's frame was an ivory color, accented by a soft periwinkle blue. Around its waist were thruster-like cubical structures, forming a sort of skirt, the half closest to the body of the mech, white, while the half facing from the robot's frame were the same periwinkle as the rest of the accents. The leg section and torso section of the mech was separated with a thin gray crease line, tracing where a human's stomach muscles would be. The majority of the torso was that same iconic blue, and the 'outfit' the bot seemed to wear resembled a school sailor uniform, down to the sharp red and yellow tie-like structure just below its neck.

 _This…_

In its hands were two spear-like swords, white with blue accents, of course, but the spear tips forming the blades, a brilliant tangerine orange. The eyes of the robot seemed displayed on its face electronically, and were a sky blue hue. Its wide, fan shaped head was decorated with a light blue trident shape on its forehead, and covering its right eye was a pinkish red blade that resembled a strand of hair.

 _Feeling…?_

Hiko's breaths became unstable as he stared at the robot sketched on the page. His heart became heavy and his lungs seemed to tighten, straining his breathing even more. He felt something deep within his soul start to surface.

 _I know what this is…_

A name came to mind, along with a destructive wave of emotions that had no right to burst forth from his heart at that moment. Hiko hunched his back and placed the open notebook on the ground at his knees, clutching his chest with enough force to shatter a rock. Teeth firmly clenched, he managed to just barely utter the name with what little breath he had.

"Delphinium…"

Too focused on the swirling, consuming emotions that had taken over his body, he hadn't even noticed the school ID laying in the bottom of the bag. Printed clearly on its laminated surface was a picture of the pink haired girl that currently occupied his shower, and her name.

Zakura Tenshi.

* * *

Chapter Two - **Shackled / His Curiosity**

 _ **(I apologize for the fairly short Aihiko half of this chapter. This chapter was mostly centered on our pink haired protagonist, and as such, I didn't want to do too much with him.)**_


	3. Together, We Are One

_Did that other version of myself…_

* * *

"Her yellow blood cell count is extremely unstable! What the hell do we do about this?!"

"Yellow blood cells… what the…" The voice was interrupted by ear piercing, hysterical screaming of an older woman.

"Someone escort her mother out of here. We do not need the hysteria right now. The girl is already in critical condition." The screaming only intensified.

"Don't take me from my little girl! What are yellow blood cells?! I demand answers! DOCTOR, PLEASE!"

* * *

 _...do this to me?_

Showers had often beckoned the girl to slip into her own mind, allowing her to reflect on her life and memories, more so the ones that tormented her. This time was no different.

The pink haired girl known as Zakura was lost in her thoughts. Even the downpour of soothing warm water washing over her could not snap her from her own mind. Her face had been tilted up at the shower head just above her, her eyes shut loosely as she allowed all of the steaming droplets to caress her body. It felt so relieving, being able to feel clean water on her skin. As lovely as it had felt, it did not come without its price.

Even as the small stool supporting her allowed her to stay off the wounded ankle by providing a seat, her legs still shook uncontrollably. The warm water drenching her had also seeped into her various wounds from that day - more specifically the one on her shin - and was accompanied by a deep red fluid as it flowed down the drain. The pain of the wound was all but forgotten in the girl's meditating state, but her body still reacted accordingly.

She sighed heavily and opened her eyes halfway, still looking to the shower head that sprayed her continuously. The pink hair of hers had begun to cling to her body as it accepted the refreshing treatment of much needed moisture. It had been tangled, torn, and knotted for some time now. After all, the only source of cleaning water the girl came into contact with had been rain, and it had been fairly common that spring, but without proper soap or shampoo, it had often done nothing more than to soak her.

 _That boy… he's the same as back then… generous and caring. It was only a story book back then, but now… he has offered me a way to relax and clean myself, and even wants me to stay with him in his home. I really could use the assistance, as much as I hate to admit it… and I really want to stay, his presence puts my heart at ease but…_

Zakura raised her hands to her forehead, or rather, just above it and felt both of the crimson, bony, blade shaped structures that emerged from her head.

 _Will I be able to show him them without causing a scene? He has been understanding this far, why wouldn't he be okay with them?_

Both fists were clenched tight as tears mixed with the flowing shower water.

 _Because you're a monster, a demon, you dumbass._

That's right. She hid them from everyone. The world around her wouldn't accept them, and she was no different. She didn't ask to have them, but yet there they remained.

 _I'll keep them from him too. At least until I get some answers from that demon in my head. Whatever she is, she can strangle me in a dream. I need to know if she caused me to become… whatever I am now._

As much as she wanted to ignore and run from the voices in her head, Zakura realized that her curiosity trumped the fear and hatred. Why was she like this? Did that demon in her subconscious cause her trauma all those years ago? What the hell were yellow blood cells? She didn't have any of the pieces to the convoluted puzzle laid out before her, and it irritated her to no end. She needed answers.

* * *

Still painfully limping on her good foot, she approached the mirror and sink that greeted her on the wall, following her exit from the bathing room. Her reflection glared back at her, those red protrusions seemingly shining from the light refracting off them. If she didn't find them disgusting, the sight might have actually caught her attention.

What did happen to catch her attention, however, was her movements being properly mirrored in the glass. No abnormal strangling demon here.

 _How noticeable are they?,_ the horned girl inquired to herself as she gently pulled back her lower lip, revealing her sharp, extended canines to herself. They were more pronounced and sharper than an average person's but they didn't particularly stand out unless they were compared to another person's. She could notice the difference in size, but she doubted anyone else could unless they looked hard enough. _I can't exactly hide them, so I have to be careful about my anger; make sure they don't grow anymore. Filing them down is not as painless as my horns._

She began to wonder if the black haired teenager would even mind the external changes. It wasn't all that different, to be fair. The fangs and horns were the main targets of her stress, but gazing at herself in the mirror made her notice the other significant changes, specifically her eyes.

The shining emerald eyes she once called her own as a child, were replaced with sharper, more mature ones, featuring pale green irises with a one-of-a-kind black ring encircling the deep red pupils. When angered thoroughly, her pupils often shone a bright, intimidating red, but when calm and unstressed, they were almost indistinguishable from the standard black pupils humans had.

On the outside edge of her eyes, a reddish makeup-like marking had formed, although she wasn't quite sure when. It traced the curve of the outside corners of her eyes, and extended the shape outwards, accentuating the sharpness of her exotic eyes. It was visible at all times, and it was a feature the girl knew she was unable to hide.

Her eyes were possibly the only new feature of her mutated body that she hadn't ever minded. They were exotic, without looking like she was some sort of bloodthirsty monster.

 _Right. I need a towel. He gave me one, right?_

Zakura performed a slow, reversal, on her right foot, still babying her left by keeping it from touching the ground. On the washer was indeed a neatly folded white towel, awaiting the arrival of the girl bathing. As she approached and grabbed the cloth, a buzzing sound erupted from the machine, startling the girl and causing her heart to skip a beat.

 _Th-that's right, h-he had my clothes in the wash! S-Silly Zakura, it's nothing to be afraid of! I should go tell him the washer is done._

Unraveling the towel, and placing the whole of it on her admittedly tough-to-clean hair, the teenage girl made her way into the living room. She began drying her hair, forgetting one small detail.

* * *

Aihiko flipped through the pages in the notebook, still clutching his heart that surged with familiar and foreign feelings. Each page was another mecha, just like the first, with occasional notes scrawled in the same child like handwriting as the name on the cover. It was hardly eligible, but studying it enough gave him the ability to make out what each one said.

'Perri is a flat, bossy, bitch. Fuck off, nobody likes you. Being class president doesn't mean shit, you stuck up FUCKING SNOB,' followed by a cartoon drawing of a bossy little girl yelling. Someone from her class?

'Stop eating in class, you fucking dumbass pig. Jeez, you're going to explode eating that much bread. HOW THE FUCK DID YOU EVEN GET THAT MUCH ANYWAY?!'

'FUCKING REDHEADS ARE AT IT AGAIN GOD THEY'RE SOGODDAMNANNOYING I WANT TO STRAAAAAANGGLLEEEEEEEE THEEEEEMMMMMMMMMM SHUTUPPPPPP'

Obviously, she was not fond of her classmates. Her drawings, however, were absolutely phenomenal. He wondered just how long each one took, they were so detailed and life like, and he felt… emotionally connected to them just by looking at their various designs.

He could also, for some reason, name each one, as if they were long lost friends. There was a pink and white one that resembled a girl with pigtails, with claws on its hands. Argentea was the name that came to mind.

Another one, colored black and green, and wielding some sort of extremely heavy looking cannon, Genista, he almost recalled.

The final drawing was of a mostly colorless mech, with lavender accents. Its 'hair' was the same shade of purple and it seemed to have… wings on its arms…? Perhaps that one could fly? In any case, Chlorophytum was what his heart echoed upon viewing it.

There were a few more drawings on the following pages. It didn't make sense to him though. All of the other drawings were well constructed masterpieces. These ones were a total mess. They remained uncolored and the lines were wildly drawn, as if the girl was madly scribbling on the paper with reckless abandon. There was hardly a form at all, almost like she happened to have a seizure while attempting the recreate her imagination.

The same messy drawing style continued as he delve further into the notebook, getting more and more devolved as time went on. Certain parts of the doodle eventually seemed to be crossed out altogether, like she didn't want to draw whatever it was.

 _Why draw something that you don't want to? It's not like she was being forced. ...right? It's really strange… I'll have to ask her about it later._

Upon closing the red covered spiral notebook, Aihiko felt the weight on his heart lift. It had gradually become easier to deal with over time. Only the first page had caught him so off guard that he felt pain. Even so, he felt as if he was missing something. A part of himself almost. Such a strange sensation it was, as if a cord had bound him to someone else's knowledge and being, but that someone else was also… him?

The boy shook his head and groaned in frustration, he was unable to properly make heads or tails of the situation he was experiencing.

 _Dammit, why is everything so confusing right now?! Wait, no ignore it, Hiko. Right now, I need to identify the girl in my shower. That's what I came here for. Feelings can come later._

A short look into the bag sitting just to his right gave him the answer he required. He lifted the laminated green school ID and furrowed his brow in utter confusion.

"Zakura Tenshi…? What…?" He looked to the hallway where the shower room was, and then back to the ID. "So she wasn't misspelling her name. It actually has a Z. But… Tenshi isn't her surname. I don't remember exactly what it was, but it _definitely_ wasn't Tenshi."

For a few moments, he pondered the possibility of the pink haired girl being a mix up. Had he helped some random homeless girl in his emotional confusion? Just because she looked like her, and her name was similar, didn't exactly mean they were the same person.

 _Only one way to find out. I'll see if she remembers us meeting under that cherry blossom tree on the hill. The one I waited for her at, day after day… I really hope I'm right, so I can apologize…_

Aihiko sighed and began replacing the items that he had foraged from the schoolbag. He made sure each one was put back, even the knife and nail filer, against his better judgement. He would question her thoroughly when she got her voice back.

BZZZzzzzt!

The sound of the washer finishing its cycle prompted the boy to pick himself off the floor and advance towards the room. She had been in the shower for about 20 minutes, he noted.

 _She must be enjoying herself. I'm glad._

A sudden sound caught his attention, stopping him dead in his tracks. The bathroom door had thunk'd open, oh she was done showering already? Oh well, at least she -

 _ABJFBUNKDIVI HOLYMOTHEROFSHITTINGLORDALMIGHTY ASNFUIKFRBEJDJKF!_

Her gaze caught his as she rounded the corner, rubbing the towel across her scalp in an attempt to stop the dripping of her hair. That, however, was not Hiko's current concern, as his entire body heated up with a never-before-felt tier of excitement.

 _HOOOOOOOLLYYYSHIIIIIIITTT ICANSEEEVERYTHING!_

Modesty was not the girl's strong suit, as she certainly hadn't minded him groping her accidentally earlier, and she definitely didn't seem at all worried that every inch of her body was bared before him. Not even a slight blush of shame came to her face. Aihiko wanted to avert his eyes, but he was powerless. He traced every single curve on her body, he wanted to sear the image into his mind. He hadn't even noticed the apparent rising of his pants.

 _SAY SOMETHING YOU FUCKING IDIOT STOP STARING SHE'S DEFINITELY GONNA THINK YOU'RE A PERVERT!_

The speechless teenager continued to let his eyes savor the treat he was given as he forced himself to say the first thing that came to mind. His voice quivered and cracked as he attempted to speak a somewhat coherent thought.

"Y-y-you're! N-N-N-N-N-N-N-NAKED!" he blurted out in his flustered state. His eyes found refuge on a strange marking around the nude figure's neck. Try as he might, he was unable to figure out what it was. Bruising? He narrowed his eyes at it, obviously unsettling the girl. Oh, so staring at her naked body doesn't bother her, but looking at her neck does?

She had seemingly had enough of drying her hair, and lowered the towel to drape around her neck, followed by a quick shake of her head that threw leftover water droplets everywhere. A disapproving scowl made itself clear across her face as she lowered her hands to her well rounded hips. Her look made him aware of his staring, and seemed to say 'are you done yet'?

However, his view had already changed targets. Zakura's naked body had taken a backseat all of a sudden. Aihiko was too busy planting his eyes on those two magnificent decorations poking out from the sea of cotton candy pink.

An image flashed into his mind.

A lake.

A girl, nude.

A fish dangling and struggling to escape the female's jaw that held it captive.

The same stunning features. Those piercing pale green orbs, the thin, curved body, and last but not least, the same exact red horns. The shape, the coloration, the brilliance, everything down to the very last detail reminded him of the girl who had just emerged from his shower.

What was this? It was like… deja vu.

They had met before. Somehow. He just knew it.

A name came screaming out of his body as the boy remained transfixed on the girl's red horns. Tears and whimpers accompanied it as his very soul attempted to call out to her.

"Zero… Two…?"

* * *

He was staring. He was _staring._

In her haste to tell the boy about the washer, she had completely forgotten about her lack of a cover for her head. He seemingly hadn't minded at first because she had been using her towel to cover them inadvertently, but now, with the drying cloth hanging from her neck, there was nothing concealing the knife like horns on her forehead. A huge, massive, _critical fuCKING BLUNDER_.

Her lack of clothing was simply a non-issue, why would she care if someone saw her naked body? It certainly wasn't a new sensation to have someone ogle her nude figure. Her secret, however, was now revealed in the most _idiotic_ way possible.

How could she be so careless? It wasn't even minutes before that she had decided not to show the features to her childhood friend, and now here she was, letting them show for the world to see.

Her expression quickly adjusted to accommodate the shift in atmosphere caused by his fixated gaze. She felt feverish, everything began to spin, she was panicking. Her breathing became harsh and unregulated, she was hyperventilating.

 _I've fucked up. I've_ really _fucked up. Run. Run away, Zakura. NOW._

Her legs were disobeying her orders. They felt numb and non-existent as she watched the boy search for something to say. There was no escape. She had to face the issue to the best of her ability. Damage control was her immediate concern as she mentally cursed herself for her miscalculation.

"You saw, didn't you?", Zakura rasped weakly. Her voice was hardly even audible, and the attempt at speaking made her feel as if someone was scraping the inside of her throat with a rake. Best to save speaking for something important. The girl quickly threw the towel over her horns and head in a protective manner, still balancing on her good leg somehow.

The question was a vain attempt at assessing the situation. She already knew he saw them. He saw _a lot._

Her query must have somehow perturbed the black haired teenager, because tears began to flow down his cheeks at a rapid pace. Why was he crying? She didn't feel as though her words should have upset him.

His lips began to quiver as he softly whimpered out two words. They called to her, to her soul. Each word wound tightly around her heart, but instead of hurting it, they embraced it. She felt as if someone had linked themselves to her, giving her an enormous, wholesome, comforting hug.

"Zero… Two…?"

Her response was immediate, her heart pounded and surged with so many raw emotions, it had become completely unfathomable to comprehend them all. Her expression was only one of joy. A warm, relieved smile formed on her face, she was no longer shocked. She was elated to see him, regardless of the fact she had no idea what he meant.

"Darling…?", the girl counter-questioned, full of warmth and joy. Her voice was still quite hoarse, and remained at almost whispering volume.

The boy in front of her began to approach, each step gentle and cautious. His hands slowly raising up to her head, an unknown force wrenched her from her feet and down to her knees. Zakura's view became cracked, as if reality itself was shattering. Little did she know, Aihiko had already been captured by the same strange trance.

Static.

 _Let me see._

…

 _Please?_

The noise was obliterated instantly. Gone. No more. She no longer wished to run.

Vision obscured by an unknown shade of red, the girl gave in to the sensations. The glass that allowed her to watch scenes of the past was no more. She was no longer an onlooker, she was now there.

Now one with the emotions and sights, her nerves swelled to capacity with senses of someone else's experience. Everything was consuming her, dragging her down.

Down to _hell_.

* * *

 _ **The line is blurring.**_

 _ **Someone**_

 _ **Get me out of here.**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **Who…**_

 _ **Am I?**_

* * *

…

 _ **Zero Two,**_

 _ **I want to tell you.**_

 _It has to be you. Without you, I can't fight._

 _ **I need you!**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **Wait for me, Zero Two!**_

 _ **...I'm coming to you!**_

* * *

…

 _ **i preTended to Be, humaN**_

 _ **buT tHat gamE's ov3r nOw**_

 _ **...**_

 _ **tHe 1ine is b1urring**_

 _ **whO… Am i?**_

* * *

 _ **I'm here for you.**_

* * *

The world came crashing down around her, blood stained glass destroying the broken thoughts and instincts that ensnared her.

Someone had pulled her back from the pits of Hell. Who? Who would care so much?

Her answer lie in the figure before her. Whipping her head upwards after the shackles had been broken, her eyes landed on another pair. Those icy blue eyes of his tore her heart in two for some reason. Unmistakably, they were _his._ Tears and blood swirled together upon that innocent face ahead of her.

"D-darling…?", she murmured, still startled by his arrival. She couldn't believe her own eyes as the black haired boy dropped to his knees, embracing her tightly.

His clothes were unlike anything modern, but they suited him. She felt as if she had seen him wearing that skin tight, black suit many, many a time. A protective chest plate was wrapped securely around his chest and pressed into her skin as he tightened the hug.

* * *

"I finally got to see you!", his voice cracked with relief. He was so glad she was unharmed. Everything had gotten in their way up until now, but the two of them were the only passengers in this cockpit. Here, they could be as vulnerable as they needed to.

Her white and red costume was quite literally sprayed on to her skin and he could feel her warmth and pounding heart like they were his own.

Defensively, his pink haired friend raised her hands in front of her face after pushing him away slightly. As if to avoid eye contact with him, she squeezed her eyes shut and turned to his left, whimpering and apprehensive about his comfort.

"D-Don't look at me!", the girl shouted, trembling as he adjusted his hands from her back to her thin wrists that protected her distraught face. He grasped them loosely, delicately. She began crying, scared and reluctant to open up. "Aren't you scared of me…?"

He could never be afraid of the sweet girl before his eyes. His sweetheart, his world, his universe. The boy could only watch her joyously as the wall she had built surrounding her heart came careening down. She was rendered vulnerable for the first time in her life.

Just because she had lost control in the last few days before did not mean he had given up on her. Although, the stressful look on her face made him painfully aware that she felt she did not deserve him anymore. She felt as if she had sinned.

"I used you, you know…", she mewled. Her darling shook his head, wanting to forget the past.

"That doesn't matter anymore!", he replied, tears blurring his vision of the defenseless girl in front of him.

* * *

Doesn't matter? How could it not matter?!

"But… But I called you fodder!", the girl practically screeched back at him. She had turned to face him to emphasize her point, but the act had backfired, it only made the guilt inside her grow.

"And I called you a monster!", he yelled back, inches from her face. He wasn't wrong. A monster, a demon. It was all she was. Nothing more, nothing less. She didn't deserve this boy. Not in the slightest.

The boy pulled her wrists, jerking her entire body towards him. She placed her shaking hands loosely on his chest plate, as his arms wrapped around her shoulders in an attempt to comfort her. Both of his hands planted themselves firmly on the back of her neck and she could tell; he too, was trembling.

His head now rested itself up against her right temple as his voice lowered to the soft, caring one was familiar with.

"So we're even now."

Even? He would never be able to stoop to her level. Darling was on an entirely separate tier than her. She wouldn't allow him to fall from his status. He was so, so much more than she could ever even dream of being.

"That's right… I am a monster. So... "

He had already used that term to describe her not that long ago. Even her darling had believed she was nothing more than a bloodthirsty beast. Her thought process was broken by the boy's abrupt yelling in her ear.

* * *

"That's not it! We gotta talk it out!", he cried out suddenly, not wanting to let her finish. He lowered his voice again, attempting to control his emotions. "We've got to think it out…"

Nothing was going to get accomplished if they only whined about their problems. The past had to be forgiven, and they needed to walk away from it to their future, together. He needed to convince her of that. If she didn't agree, there was no hope.

He was not angry. He never was.

No further words dared escape his partner's lips. Her sobs and whimpers made him determined to see her smile once again. No more moping.

"There must be places we have to go. Our journey begins now! This world is surely much, much larger than we can ever imagine!"

His words were broken by the increasing volume of her suffering sobs in his ear. Push harder! Dig deeper! Make her believe!

"We couldn't do it back then, but this time, for sure... ", he continued, talking softly into her ear, his hands squeezing her as tight as they possibly could. "...let's go see the outside world together!"

Ever-so-slowly, the black haired boy pulled away from her shoulder. Making eye contact with that precious, irreplaceable partner of his was top priority. Her lips trembled as she returned the loving gaze. Their eyes deadlocked for a few short moments, enough to allow him to finish his declaration.

"Zero Two… together, we are one." With one swift, clean movement, the boy's lips dove onto her's, his head tilted slightly to the left for maximum contact. He could hear her soft sobs through their kiss, and he accepted every last ounce of her emotions with his entire being.

* * *

The loving reunion scene that played out before her began to recede.

Zakura had heard once before that memories were often tied closely to a person's senses. Senses could provoke certain responses in the brain that would attempt to connect the them to a past experience to gather more critical information.

But never once, had she thought that a memory would allow her to practically relive the event right before her very eyes. She was already thoroughly drenched by the shower water, but now she felt tears escaping her eyes. However, the stars of the show, Zero Two and 'Darling', were nowhere to be found.

Replicating the scene that had just played out in their minds, Zakura and Aihiko were now well into a soft kiss on the floor of the family room. His arms had secured her tightly, and she felt safe and loved.

Realizing the sudden shift from memory to reality, the girl quickly made sure Aihiko's mother was not around and leaned into the kiss, closing her eyes to enjoy the gesture even further.

In that moment, they indeed, had become one.

The beast was accompanied by her prince. She was no longer alone.

* * *

Chapter Three **\- Together** / **We Are One**

 _ **(Holy crap was this chapter so invigorating to write! I got lost on where I wanted it to go about halfway through, but I had an idea that I later ran with to bring the two reincarnations together. I was practically crying re-watching the reunion scene in Episode 15 to help with writing the final bits to this chapter. That scene is just so damn powerful to me. Speaking of, I got some inspiration on how to word that entire scene from a Reddit user's post discussing it. Night-addict's post analyzing the meaning behind each spoken line and what not helped me shape the way I recreated the scene, so thank them for that extremely helpful post.**_

 _ **Also, a small shout out to one of the reviewers of this fanfiction, Charles T. Servant, who pointed out that Zakura Tenshi's name reflects ZT, as in Zero Two. I'll be 100% honest, I hadn't even meant that to happen myself. Her surname was meant to be a reflection of Aihiko's view of her. Tenshi means "angel", by the way. I hope you've enjoyed reading this far, because I'm pumped to continue this since I have so much free time. I'll try updating every day or two, and if there's a longer break between chapters, it most likely means there will be a LARGE chapter coming. Ride on, my Darlings~!)**_


	4. Acceptance, His Angel

That one simple kiss seemed to last hours. Neither party wished to release their lips for anything in the world. The only thing that mattered at that time was each other.

Her wings to escape the hell she was grounded to.

His freedom from the burden of inadequacy.

Everything had fallen into place once more.

Unbeknownst to the intimate physical pair, two spirits rejoiced in their promises being fulfilled. Azure and crimson forms danced and embraced in the afterlife, filled with adoration for one another. After many years, they had finally found each other on Earth. No longer would they be pained from loneliness and longing.

Their birdcages were burst open and just like before, the pair could lean on one another. Two birds with a single wing, a male and female, could take to the skies by becoming one. It was a way of life that was profoundly beautiful.

* * *

The lips parted ways for just but a few moments, long enough for his soft blue eyes to lock with her exotic, green ones. Smiles accompanied the gaze between the two.

Slowly and methodically, the boy's hand found purchase on Zakura's waist and around her back. She felt as if she could tell his intention, and so responded by wrapping her legs around his own waist. His smile became a devilish smirk as he lifted the light girl from the floor with little effort. Forcing his lips to return to their vacation on her's, Aihiko then carefully stepped to the couch the girl had fallen asleep on earlier than evening.

He laid her tenderly on her back and pulled from the kiss, proceeding afterwards to look over her exposed, porcelain skin. Everything was fantastic to him, and he couldn't get enough. His hunger was far from being satiated. He wanted more, she could tell just by the look in his eyes. She hadn't minded his intention at all, he was the very first boy she felt this in tune with. Everything felt natural and perfect, and if darling wanted to stare, then by all means, she would let him stare away. All she longed for was safety, and he had offered it in full.

The boy leaning over her body then swallowed audibly. She watched his adam's apple bounce in his throat as he did so. His eyes had stopped exploring her figure and landed upon her slightly flushed face.

"I just… can't seem to get enough of you," the boy whispered sweetly. "Everything is so perfect and I can't help myself. You excite me and… I… I know it's sudden but…"

She watched him move down to her right ear, she cleared all of her thoughts to remain intent on hearing the boy's words.

"I really… think I… I really like you, Zakura."

He knew her name?! Granted, it hadn't been a drastic change from her birth name but…! That wasn't a slip up, he intended the Z to be there! Had he found her ID while she was in the shower?

 _Calm down, calm. Calmcalmcalm. It's fine if he knows. There's nothing to hide from him._

Yeah, all that can wait until later! He practically just confessed!

 _Ohmygodohmygodohmygod he likes me that way!? EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!_

The girl's face became beet red as her mind began to race through the implications of the boy's confession. Did he want more than kissing? Did he want the full course?!

Her thoughts were put on hold by a sensation on her shoulder. He had begun to kiss it passionately. It wasn't just kissing, he was sucking on her skin, albeit quite gently. A gasp escaped her lips at the sudden sign of affection. Was he - ?! Was he going to go all the way from just a kiss?!

After a few seconds, he pulled away from her shoulder, leaving a very faint mark, and leaving Zakura screaming for more.

 _What?! Don't stop, that felt incredible!_

As if he was able to read her mind, the boy's lips returned to her skin, but this time found themselves being placed onto her neck, and a bit more forceful this time. Another kiss, and then another, and another still, Hiko began to pepper her entire neck with signs of affection. Her teeth dug into her bottom lip as she attempted to contain herself. Why were these kisses driving her wild?! She couldn't figure it out, but apparently, he was not the only one craving more.

A final kiss was bestowed just below her jaw, it was wet and passionate. She felt the boy gently bite and suck on the spot, increasing in intensity as time went on. The vampire kiss put her in a state of complete ecstasy, she shivered and attempted to control herself from begging for more. This was far enough to go with Aihiko right now, as she had only just reunited with him. Being sexual was out of the question. In the meantime, she could simply enjoy the gesture to its full potential.

 _Fuck, I can barely think with him kissing me like this… everything is cloudy and… and! And! I love it! But it's just kissing, why am I losing control like this!?_

Another touch then caught Zakura's attention. Not on her neck - he was still kissing away - he had begun to feel her midsection, quite gently, she might add. Almost like he was taking his time and being careful not to step over boundaries, although she had clearly not given him permission.

He seemed to softly rub her belly, and then methodically move his hand to her chest. With the same delicate touch, his hands massaged her right breast. The feeling caused her to release a hot, heavy breath and then swallow.

Why wasn't she against this treatment? She hated when other men had done this to her, but perhaps that was due to them having malicious intent? Was it because she felt comfort in him that she hadn't spoken up? Whatever the case, she had secretly hoped that he wouldn't go all the way - not yet at least.

"H-Hiko…", she attempted to communicate, her voice still harsh and near silent. His lips parted ways from her neck and she met those brilliant icy blue eyes of his with hers. Every time she glanced into them, they simultaneously drilled holes in her, freezing her in place, and also gave her solace, soothing her mind of any irregular thoughts. His right hand continued to feel up her breast.

Finally snapped from his sudden assault on Zakura, the black haired boy's cheeks grew quite red. He stared into her eyes for a minute, mesmerized by them, before finally responding.

"I… I'm sorry! I'm so, so, so sorry…! I really don't know what came over me…!", the boy blurted out in a hurry. He looked to his hand then back to the angel's face and ripped his hand from her flesh instantly. "I am so _unbeliveably_ sorry, Zakura! Truly! You have every right to -"

Her hands wrenched him to her lips, shutting the rambling apologetic boy up immediately. This time, it was a short, yet passionate kiss. When they broke, the green eyed girl only smiled back, soothing the boy's guilt.

"It's okay… I… enjoyed it…"

"Y-y-you d-did…? I-I… I'm so inexperienced…!", he attempted to retort, but no avail. His face's red hue only rose in saturation.

"It's alright…! I only… wanted to stop… before we went too far…!", she choked out, and then proceeded to hack. Talking still had to be sparse until she recovered from this affliction on her neck.

Aihiko understood the situation and rose to his feet, off the couch, and dashed to the kitchen to pour a glass of water. The girl seated on his furniture continued to cough and adjusted herself into a sitting position, covering her mouth with her forearm.

Against his better judgement, the flustered boy sprinted to help his angel, back through the kitchen, around the stairs, and then ducking in between furniture. Just before reaching the couch Zakura was seated on, however, he had managed to trip himself up on her towel laying on the floor in front of the couch. He stumbled forwards, trying to catch himself on something, anything.

At last, something had caught _him_. Something… soft and squishy… he had landed directly in the girl's breasts, but just as always, she hadn't minded in the slightest.

Swiping the glass from the boy before he spilt it like the klutz he was, Zakura downed the entire glass in an instant, not minding that some escaped the boundaries of her mouth and ran down her chin.

Just like before, the innocent boy jumped back in surprise, apologizing dramatically and vehemently. Pink hair whipped back and forth as the girl shook her head gently to the boy.

"Quit it," she barked hoarsely. "I told you… I don't mind."

Aihiko quickly tugged at the collar of his school uniform and chuckled in embarrassment and acknowledgement.

"R-right… heh… I-I'll um… go get the clothes you were _supposed_ t-to wear…"

The teenager took off to the bathroom, where he did just as he claimed he would. He had also made sure to transition the girl's school uniform to the dryer and start up the machine before returning to the high schooler on his couch.

Remaining put on the couch, Zakura gently massaged the spot where Hiko had conceived that last kiss. It wasn't that it hurt, but she could feel it there, almost throbbing. A sudden shower of white, red, and black cloth grabbed her attention.

"A-at least put on these clothes… please…"

She looked to the shy boy who was _now_ averting his eyes from her body. He had faced the complete opposite direction in order to give her a sense of privacy. _Damn,_ was he fun to tease. His innocence could be picked apart, piece by piece until she was sure nothing remained.

 _Perhaps he has had enough experiences for tonight. I think I'll give him a break. I'll be slow and methodical, until this boy has truly become a man. Hehehe~_

She giggled internally, knowing she would have no issue picking away at the black haired boy's innocence. It will be fun to see his reaction every step of the way. He had no experience with women, hm? She would change that in due time. Tonight was just the first step in her game.

Slipping into the garments the boy offered her for temporary wear, she noted that both were quite large. The dress fell easily below her knees despite her height, and the black shorts - which she assumed were his - were a bit loose around her hips, but managed to stay secure.

She gently cleared her throat, alerting the boy that she was done getting dressed. She sat back and sighed, laying her hands on her stomach as it begged for food. Hiko turned to face her and chuckled quietly before seating himself right next to her.

"Food will be ready shortly, okay? You'll get fed and have a place to sleep tonight and… well, as long as you'd like. I know you live on the streets, and I…"

She interrupted his thought process by using his shoulder as a head rest. Her soft and silky pink hair tickled his arm and he adjusted it to wrap around her upper back, making sure to place his hand on her left shoulder comfortingly. She proceeded to close her eyes and enjoy the tender moment before speaking softly.

"You… aren't frightened by my horns?", she inquired.

The boy rubbed her shoulder and shook his head gently, looking at the subject of her question as he responded.

"No, not at all. I… guess they caught me off guard, but they don't… scare me. Baffle me, yes. Frighten, no. They are unique and exotic, like your eyes and hair. I bet nobody else in the world has those things, and that's what makes you stand out."

Zakura quickly turned her head away from him. She didn't want to stand out, she wanted to be fully human, like she had been as a child. The horns and fangs and everything were a curse that secluded her from the rest of the world. Nobody understood her yearning for the days where her mother still lived, and she was just a happy, rambunctious child without a care in the world. Everything changed when those memories started surfacing, even her appearance. She hated everything that made her 'unique'.

"Not that standing out is a bad thing, you know," Hiko continued sincerely. "I know you hide your little horns from everyone under that beanie. I can understand how you would be hesitant to allow anyone to see them. But, like I said, different isn't always bad! Being unique is… a gift. Being able to look at yourself in the mirror and say 'there's nobody in the world like me'! That's incredible! A-and the way you carry yourself, with your head held high and the confidence and dominance you exert, even though you're practically fighting the world by yourself? That takes a lot of courage and… and… I admire those qualities of you…"

She was stunned. He… liked those things about her? He liked her dominant, unphaseable facade? He liked that she was different?

She blinked once, then twice, before looking up at the boy holding her warmly. He caught a glimpse of her out of the corner of his eyes and looked down at her, shooting her a reassuring, caring smile. He meant every word he said. He was being sincere. Sincere about her horns, her personality, her uniqueness. Someone actually accepted all of that? I-Inconceivable!

"There are some people who may be unwilling to accept those horns, and most likely, even more who will admire you for being unique. Especially if you stay confident, and proudly wear them like the jewels that they are. Shine just as brightly as them, and I guarantee the world will respect you for it."

She began to blush a bit. Nobody had ever said embarrassing things like this to her ever before. It was a new feeling, to feel admired and… special. She mattered to someone in her life? If she died… he would most certainly care.

A small, soft sigh escaped her as she smiled gratefully to the loving boy known as Aihiko. He returned the smile and leaned down to place a kiss on her head. Her blush increased a bit.

 _Maybe it won't be bad at all to stay around him. He seems to genuinely care about my well being and how I think about myself. Well, this is everything I've wanted. To be with my childhood friend and to be accepted. He's the one. Now I just have to not fuck up._

"Oh! Um… I wasn't going to ask you much since I didn't want to strain your voice but…"

Hiko swallowed nervously and gazed at the bruising around her neck. "Um… what all happened there? Someone… tried to strangle you, it looks like."

She most certainly didn't want to tell him that she was strangled by that look alike in her nightmare. He would surely think she was crazy. Instead, she simply nodded to his query, letting him know _someone_ indeed tried strangling her. It was the reason she was hardly able to talk after all.

"Oh. That's horrible. Was it from another one of those fights? Other than the one today, obviously. You kicked those guys' collective asses!"

He laughed awkwardly to try and lighten the mood, but it hadn't cheered her up at all.

Knowing she was lying to keep herself from sounding completely insane, she again nodded her head.

"I see… well, d-don't worry, okay? I'll take you to and from school, and I'll make sure you don't have to go getting into street brawls to survive. Everything will be fine. Promise."

He kissed her head and smiled down at her to show he was serious. However, he still had one more question. One he felt he knew the answer to, but still needed to confirm.

"S-sorry, just one more," he started, as he pulled her schoolbag to him and unzipped it. Pulling out her ID, he held it in front of her face. "I didn't want to go through your bag but… I need to know that you are who I think you are. Your name was 'Sakura' before, and… you met me under the cherry blossom tree about 7 years ago right? You were…"

Hiko bit his lip before continuing. This could be a bad move, bringing this up, but he knew it was necessary.

"You were the one that… licked me as a kid, right? A-and I freaked out a-about it? You're that Sakura, right?"

 _HE STILL REMEMBERS THAT?! FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK HE THINKS I'M STILL A CREEP!_

Her eyes widened in surprise, but more so, fear. Her friend had remembered the one thing she had hoped he had forgotten. Her heart stopped for a moment. She screamed internally. Everything was going so well, and now he was going to say she's a complete freakandthathedidn'tlikeheranymore fuckfuckfuckFUCK she wasn't prepared to answer this question. She had neverevereverever wanted it to become a subject again. NonononoNonoNONOnoNoNoNOnonoNO! She began to panic, she wanted to run again. Beads of sweat began to form on the girl's face as her stress levels exceeded anything she could contain. Everything was ruinedSOILEDFUckedUpFallingAPArtItWasgoingFINE!

Her reaction was all he needed to confirm it was truly her. After throwing the ID onto the table, he then threw himself around her, squeezing her entire body with all the strength he could muster.

"I'M SO SORRY! FOR EVERYTHING I SAID!"

Tears welled up in his eyes as his voice cracked under the pressure. "I NEVER MEANT TO HURT YOU THAT WAY! I OVERREACTED AND I'M SO, SO, SO SORRY!"

She felt him begin to shake and sniffle, holding himself back from fully wailing. Her panic washed away instantly. What was… Was he actually apologizing for back then?

"I'm sorry I pushed you and called you a freak…! I'm sorry I said I didn't want you as a friend! I'm sorry that I made you hate me! I waited under that tree, day after day, for months, hoping you would come back so I could apologize! All I've wanted my entire life since that day, was to truly apologize for what I had done to you! You were my first and only friend and I hurt you! Please, forgive me! You're not a freak! You're incredible for fighting this world all by yourself!"

Both teenagers had practically broken down into tears. His whimpers and apologetic sobs were echoed by her sniffling and unsteady breaths. His apology had hit home, and quite thoroughly. She had no idea he felt guilty all these years… He waited under that tree for her return… but she was so busy with her own illness at the time…

"Sakura… or Z-Zakura… Back then doesn't matter anymore! I take it all back, truthfully! I don't mind your horns or if you lick me! You're perfect as the person you are… please… please believe me… I need you in my life again… I'm not… whole without you…"

Zakura threw her arms around the boy and embraced him just as powerfully as he had her. She didn't ever want to let go. Her tears drenched Aihiko's formal school uniform, as she wailed into his shoulder, muffled by his clothing.

"Yoww… fo… gi.. men…!", she was practically inaudible through the distraught cries of them both, and even more suppressed by her lack of voice and the uniform she was almost choking on.

"Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!", he whimpered back, overwhelmed by the burden of guilt finally lifting from his shoulders after all these years.

* * *

The two remained tightly in each other's embrace until they adequately regained their composure. Which is to say, for several minutes. A few sniffles and tears were still created by the two teenagers, but they had comfortably come to rest in a cuddling state, relaxing each other with steady, slow strokes to each other's backs. Hiko, feeling Zakura was still emotional, decided to rhythmically rock the two of them to and fro.

He planted a kiss gently on her forehead and wiped her tears from her eyes with a smile full of relief. She managed a slight one in return.

"I love you, Zakura… don't ever be afraid to lean on me, okay? We will get through everything. Together."

She nodded and snuggled herself into Hiko's chest as he wrapped his arms around her as comfortingly as he knew how. Everything that had stressed her the past 7 years seemed to just melt away in this boy's arms. He softly ran his hand through her hair.

She wouldn't hide herself from him, at the very least. However, talking about the voices and memories would have to wait. She was sure he could be trusted, but wanted to be absolutely certain that it wouldn't cause any problems between them before releasing any of that information.

* * *

His sweet childhood friend had begun to doze off on top him as he remembered her food. Enough time had passed for the rice porridge to cook properly.

 _Damn. I don't want to wake her though, she looks like she's finally at peace… sorry, Zakura, we can go to bed early._

"Hey, your food is probably ready," he said, gently nudging the sleepy girl on his chest. "You're probably really hungry, right?"

He heard her stomach growl just at the mention of food. He chuckled lightly and gently picked her up off the couch as she wrapped her arms around his neck instinctively.

"Let's go sit at the table, okay?"

Half asleep, she managed a semi-nod.

Humming sweetly to the girl in his arms, Aihiko carried her to the kitchen table at a leisurely pace. He didn't want to shock the girl from her sleepy state. He watched her every step of the way, admiring those beautiful pink locks of hers. She truly was an angel, through and through.

"Here we are. Anything is particular you want on your oyaku? I normally just garnish with some scallions and parsley, nothing too extreme."

"That's fine…", the girl softly yawned.

Pulling out a chair with his foot with surprising expertise, Hiko sat the drowsy girl down and kissed her cheek softly, giving her a quick reminder of his affection before turning his attention to the simmering pot on the stove.

The girl slumped slightly as she rubbed her eyes and her stomach rumbled again. She was _definitely_ hungry. Luckily he had prepared a good amount of rice, enough to feed a small family at least. After preparing the rice with the toppings, he brought a bowl full over to her seat at the table and placed it in front of her.

"There you go, Zakura. Don't be afraid to ask for seconds or thirds, I made plenty."

He smiled as she lifted her head to smell the porridge. It seemed to grab her attention as she grabbed a spoon and licked her lips.

"Just don't eat it all at...", he started but realized his warning would be in vain. She gobbled the entire bowl of rice in seconds and held the bowl out for more. He only blinked in surprise. "... once. Well you are starving, I suppose. Just don't choke, your neck is still hurt, okay?"

She nodded as he prepared a second bowl, and he couldn't seem to be fast enough for the eager, bouncing girl in her seat. Another bowl was scarfed down, and then a third and fourth. Nothing remained in the pot.

Zakura patted her belly in satisfaction. Aihiko laughed lightly to himself. It wasn't like rice was all that flavorful or filling, but she seemed to enjoy it all, nonetheless. Probably because she was living off of trash or something. He wondered what she actually ate.

"I'm glad you got your fill! You seem much better now," he commented.

She nodded in agreement and let out an adorable yawn that caused Aihiko to internally 'aww'. He couldn't seem to get enough of Zakura's cuteness, but for right now, she needed to be put to bed to rest.

He lifted the girl from her seat in the same manner as before and headed out of the kitchen and up the small staircase to the second story, and ultimately, his bedroom. He would let her take his bed and he would crash on the couch.

"I'll have your outfit ready and folded by the morning. For now, you need some shut eye," he explained as he adjusted her to open his bedroom door. "I know it's not the most comfortable bed, but it's better than the sofa downstairs. I'll let you sleep here."

A sudden tug came from his chest as he approached his queen sized bed. He looked down at the source, and was greeted by those exotic pale green eyes. She seemed a bit upset.

"What's wrong? It's only fair that my guest take my room. I don't mind -"

"Sleep… together…", she replied, almost whispering. "Please?"

His face immediately grew red. She wanted to sleep in the same bed?! They just got back together after years of being apart! Did she mean she wanted to… o-or that she meant it in an innocent way. Either way, he decided to politely decline.

"S-sorry, my m-momma probably wouldn't be happy if w-we slept in the same bed…", he promptly countered with a false reasoning.

"But…"

She gave him the most innocent puppy eyes he had ever laid eyes on. She was pulling out all the stops, using her charm against him. His mind screamed no, but his heart pleaded yes. Resisting her cuteness was not something he was capable of, and he caved in.

He could control himself. They would just sleep on opposite sides and everything would be fine.

"A-a-alright, alright. Just… sleep on one side and I'll sleep on the other, o-okay? I don't w-want my momma getting the wrong idea…"

"Mm," she responded with a gentle nod.

Phew. Thank goodness she understood the situation. It's not as if he would mind sleeping together with her in the same bed, but they had just… gotten physical and she seemed to enjoy it. What if she wanted more? He would have to turn her down and be respectful. He hadn't even asked her out on a date yet. They also _just_ met up again, why was he going straight from friend to significant other? Was she that attractive? Was it it because of lust or love?

"I'm gonna let you rest for now, okay? I have to clean up and get your uniform ready for the morning. I'll… return after that but I want you to try sleeping before then."

Delicately, he laid the pink haired girl on his bed and smiled as she mirrored him. He leaned down and kissed her horns endearingly.

"I love you and those cute little horns of yours. Now go ahead and close those pretty little eyes of yours. I'll be back soon."

Following his given instructions, she began to make herself comfortable under the blankets on his bed and then closed her eyes. He watched the angel fall asleep within a minute and rubbed the back of his head nervously. She would certainly be a handful to care for, but he would manage, just for her. She deserved it.

Aihiko spent the next few minutes cleaning up the mess from her dinner, and readied Zakura's school uniform for the morning. His thoughts couldn't escape those bruises on her neck. She really had been strangled by someone. He felt a knot in his chest as he thought about it more and more. How could someone do that to her? Fighting is one thing, but strangling the poor girl was uncalled for.

He felt disturbed. He felt upset. He felt... _pissed._ Whoever did that to her would pay. If anyone ever laid a hand on his friend would feel the entirety of his wrath. He wanted, no, he _needed_ to protect her.

These feelings for revenge were foreign to the boy, as he was almost always indifferent to the world around him. Why did it bother him _so much_?! It wasn't as if he could magically find whoever laid hands on her. But from now on, he swore he would be at her side outside of school. He wouldn't let that happen again if he had anything to say about it. She was his responsibility. More than that, she was his sweetheart now.

 _Everything changed when she stopped visiting… I felt like I had lost my other half over some stupid argument, and I could never take it back until now…_

* * *

"Ew! What the heck, you creep?!", he screamed at her for licking his neck suddenly.

Her eyes widened in fear in realization of what she had done. She stumbled back and shook her head, wanting to take it back.

"I didn't know you were some kind of freak like that!"

He pushed her down to the ground in a sudden fit of disgust. Tears welled up in her large emerald eyes as she scurried backwards, dragging her long pink hair and small ivory dress through the dirt.

"I don't want a friend like you! Everyone will think you're some sort of weirdo!"

"I-I-I d-don't know w-why I…!", she protested in an attempt to explain.

Overcome with emotions, Sakura took off to find her mother. A young Aihiko wiped his neck with the sleeve of his shirt.

"Gross. She got saliva all over my neck too."

That was the last time he had seen Sakura. He had enjoyed the solace of being alone under that tree for a few days, but soon began to feel guilty over what he had said. He had overreacted and hurt his only friend.

"I wonder if she will ever come back…", he commented to himself, placing his hand on his heart. "I… think I miss her."

More days passed.

Days turned to weeks. He began to believe that girl was never coming back. Some part of him began to hope. Hope she would return so he could apologize for what would be the biggest mistake of his life.

Most days, he would simply cry and lean his head against the enormous sakura tree, praying that his friend would find it in her heart to forgive him. He wanted her back. He needed her back.

"Please… please come back… I beg you, Sakura… I miss you…"

Weeks turned into months. Eventually, an entire year had passed without her return. She wasn't coming back. He could never take back his actions or his words. She was lost to him forever.

The tears and prayers eventually had come to an end as well. The tree stopped being an important location for Aihiko. Almost everything had lost meaning to him by that following spring. Emotions soon became a thing of the past as well. He didn't deserve them, or the offers of friendship he received at school those subsequent years.

He had devoted himself to his studies, easily becoming one of the most prestigious children of his class. Granted a scholarship to a private high school, he took the offer, believing knowledge would grant him release from his past burdens.

Over time, the smiles and laughter of two children playing under that tree were forgotten. Blotched out by the darkness of his heart, he no longer wished to remember.

His sacrifice was not without penalty however, as he had become numb and oblivious to the feelings of the world around him. School and studying was his only cares. He could learn to become anything he wanted, do anything he wanted. Friends and emotions were just a burden to keep him from his potential, after all. Everyone was kept at arm's length, never to touch his closed off heart, not out of hatred, but from a lack of care.

That was, until he saw _her._ The pink haired high school punk, who held her own in a four-on-one brawl. She was strong, and confident, but most of all, _alone_. Just like him. There was something about her, he just felt she had no-one else. That moment, he suddenly began… feeling again. He was alive, and he didn't have to keep following the mundane life he lead.

That street girl inspired him. He wanted to talk to her.

* * *

 _That's how I was reunited with you, Zakura. You freed me from everything I was hiding from. I should thank you, but… You'd probably think I was some kind of wuss. You wouldn't be wrong though…_

Aihiko yawned and stretched as he headed up the stairs. He was completely beat. Today was the first day he stepped out from the shadow of his old self. Emotions and freedom came back full force, and it had drained him like a battery. Luckily, it was time for him to recharge for the night.

After confirming the curled up ball of pink was asleep, he quietly slipped into his pajamas, folding his school uniform to wear tomorrow. As he reached his bed, he noted that she slept almost entirely silent. Just soft, steady breaths were audible.

Lifting the blankets on his side slightly and then slipping under, Hiko fluffed his pillow gently and laid his head down, sighing and smiling at the adorable angel sleeping on the other side of his bed.

 _Sleep tight, Zakura. Goodnight._

With that final thought, he felt himself drift off to sleep, the image of two children holding hands burned into his mind. He smiled and shed a tear.

* * *

Chapter Four - **Acceptance / His Angel**

 _ **(Well I originally intended this to be about half of Chapter 4, but after realizing the feedback I've been receiving, I decided to split it up into two chapters in order to give you guys something to read while I finish touching up the rest. Also, I can't believe that in a week, I've gotten more than 1000 views on this story! I hadn't intended nor expected it to get the amount of attention it has gotten, so thank you all for the support, I plan to keep on rolling with this until it is finished! A big thank you to Reddit user Ulcon for inspiring me to try creative writing again. If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking out his fanfiction, Mastermind in the Franxx on this site. It is an incredible read! With all that said, until next chapter, my darlings~!)**_


	5. Darling, For Her

_**So I just added the second half of Chapter 5. It's a bit strange to add to a chapter after it is already posted, but I finally got to the stopping point I had planned on. Thankfully, I found some bit of motivation and I present to you, my longest chapter yet! Enjoy, my darlings!**_

* * *

Light began to pool in from the cracks in the curtains in his room, and landed directly on his eyelids, interrupting Hiko's sleep. With a light groan, he opened his eyes about halfway, yawned, and moved his arm to rub his eyes. All of a sudden however, he felt something warm and soft pressing against him.

There she was, his childhood friend, snuggling tightly against him. Her face had been placed against his chest, and he could feel her warm breaths through his thin blue pajamas. Her right arm had been wrapped loosely around his neck, and her left was sprawled around the top of his head. Her legs had managed to intertwine with his, and her back was slightly bent forward as she slept.

He had been lying on his side as he commonly did, so she was essentially using him as a human body pillow to hug throughout the night. But for how long she had been, he had no idea. Regardless, she seemed to be sleeping just fine, so it wasn't another one of her flirty moves. Perhaps she had a nightmare in the middle of the night?

To his own surprise, he hadn't freaked out in the slightest. Almost like he was already acquainted with sleeping with her, which most certainly was _not_ the case.

He looked to his alarm clock. 6:30 AM.

There was still plenty of time before he had to get up to prep for the day, so he decided to stay put to allow the girl cuddling him to get some more rest. He managed a very content smile at Zakura, wondering how anything could be more perfect than this single precious moment. He never dreamt that in a million years he would be a snuggle buddy for such a beautiful young lady.

With extreme care, Hiko removed his right hand from under his pillow and placed it softly on the back of Zakura's head, stroking her hair as delicately as possible as he watched her reaction, to be sure not to wake her.

 _She's so precious like this… I wish this moment could last forever. If I'm lucky, maybe this can be a common occurrence for her to hug me like this._

A sound from the girl suddenly caught his attention. She had started snoring? No, it was something else. It was deep and low, like a snore, but softer, more tranquil. He returned to running his hands through her hair, only to hear the same sound once again.

 _What? What's she doing…?_

He lightly chuckled as he figured out the sound. Unbelievable. His sweetheart was snuggling him in _his_ bed, not snoring, but _purring_ as he stroked her hair.

 _You never cease to amaze me, Zakura. You are just so damn cute, no matter what you do._

* * *

After enjoying the company of the sleeping girl for about ten minutes, Aihiko decided it was time to get up and ready for school. He had never missed a single day and hadn't planned on missing one, even for Zakura.

"Alright, sleepy head. Time to wake up," he softly called to her, shaking her shoulder with a light amount of force. She responded almost instantly.

Without ever opening her eyes, the girl opened her mouth - wider than he ever thought possible - with a loud yawn and revealed her elongated canines to him. He took note of them, but just as the rest of her strange features, he didn't mind at all.

"Mor...nin'," the girl replied, her voice sounding a bit less harsh than the night before. She hadn't a care in the world as she adjusted her face to be just below his neck, eyes still shut, and began to _sniff_ him. Lightly and quickly at first, but then she pushed her nose into his collarbone and took a huge whiff.

"Mmm…", she practically moaned, before swiftly licking a line up the boy's chin.

Recoil in the form of a shiver ran through Hiko's body, and he shuddered a bit at the feeling of her tongue. He bit his lip and blushed bright red, his reaction completely the opposite of the one as a child. He found the act this time to be strangely erotic, but didn't dare to say anything.

"Citrus-y. With a hint of…"

The girl smacked her lips together, observing the taste that lingered in her mouth.

"...mango? Hmm… well, either way... it's fruity and sweet. I like it."

She suddenly opened those bright, exotic green eyes, just inches from his face. They seemed to bloom with life, instead of being dull and pale like they were previously. The new bright green highlighted her pink hair and gleaming red horns, even more so than the rays of light spreading across her from the window. She was… stunning. Beautiful.

"W-wow…", was all Aihiko could muster saying in astonishment in that moment. He collected himself and continued softly. "Your eyes… they're radiant and… full of life. I thought you were beautiful before but… words can't describe what I'm looking at…"

A slight blush dusted the girl's face as she lowered her head.

"You… really think so…?"

Her question was voiced in the cutest, most innocent tone he had ever heard from her. It made his heart skip a beat.

"I do. You're incredibly beautiful."

The girl swallowed and then leaned in close to him, her lips ever so slightly parted as her face approached his. Knowing full well what she was going for, he opened his lips as well, welcoming her's as they brushed together. He smiled as she pulled away from the simple, endearing kiss.

There was that lovely face of hers. Their long battle had finally come to an end, and she didn't need to be worried about changing him anymore. It was already done. They were now the same, and he could feel her closer than ever. He wasn't quite sure how they ended up where they were, but he couldn't mistake her face. She was his -

"Zero Two…"

And he was indeed her -

"Darling…"

The girl's hands suddenly began to run through his hair and around his head frantically, in search of something, no doubt. He chuckled lightly as he felt her fingers running on his scalp.

"Haha~ Zero Two, what are you doing?"

"Darling…?! W-where are your -"

They looked into each others' eyes with sheer confusion at their interaction. He was missing something?

The two teenagers continued to stare at one another, completely perplexed for several moments before blinking once, then twice in sync, clearing their minds of the irregular thoughts.

"I'm sorry, Zakura… I uh… didn't mean to call you Zero Two or whatever, it just sort of…"

"...happened?", she finished. He nodded in response.

"Yeah… I don't know what came over me."

"Hmm…"

She pondered her thoughts momentarily, furrowing her brow and tilting her head to the side. After she was done thinking, she gave a small shrug and grinned wide.

"That's alright… but I think I like your nickname."

The pink haired angel gently traced Aihiko's bottom lip as she smirked, her eyes lidded seductively.

"Daaarr- _ling~_ "

"D-d-d-darling…? Y-y-you're going t-to call me that now?!", he stammered, almost in protest.

Zakura licked her lips and giggled in acknowledgement, knowing the boy was now at her mercy. She was free to embarrass or seduce him at will.

Hiko swallowed and prepared himself to apply his limited knowledge of flirting in order to counter her. His index finger pressed lightly against her lips, shushing her giggling; and ignoring the blood rushing to his face, he gathered what courage he had and struck back vocally.

"Y-yeah well, in that c-case… You're my honey…!"

"I like it," she replied promptly, with a sly smile. "'Two can play at that game', huh? Cute."

Something caught the boy's attention all of a sudden. His honey's voice was almost back to normal. She was still quiet in volume, but louder than a whisper and most certainly not as rough as she had sounded before. In the short conversation they had, she was somehow able to recover a large portion of her vocal range. But how? The red markings around her neck were still very prevalent, and had hardly faded overnight.

"Um… Zakura, your voice…"

"Huh? I didn't even notice! My voice is back! Or at least most of it…"

She reached up to her throat and gently forced herself to cough, as if talking still hurt a bit.

"That's alright, honey. Take it easy. Don't push yourself too hard," Aihiko commented, a bit concerned. "It's alright if you don't talk."

The girl began to massage her throat lightly, agreeing with him as she inclined her head slowly.

 _Well this is a fantastic start to the morning. Things are all over the place. Why the hell did I call her Zero Two again?_

As he hopped out of his bed, he turned to look at Zakura. She was still rubbing, hoping to help the pain a bit.

"I'm going to go grab your uniform so you can put it on. Oh, and your beanie too. You probably don't want my mom knowing about those," he said, pointing to her horns as they gleamed in the sunlight sneaking into his room.

* * *

With that, the high school boy prepared for the worst. He knew his mother had gotten home, and judging by the smells wafting from the kitchen, was making breakfast. Was that grilled salmon?

He loved his mom's grilled salmon, it always had the perfect blend of spices and herbs. Not too much for the morning, but just enough to add a huge burst of flavors that would ultimately lead to a savory salmon dish. She probably had some rice and miso soup prepared as well.

 _I wonder if she had checked up on us? Saw us in bed together? Shit, did she see us cuddling?! Oh no, please let that not be the case…_

"Morning, momma," Hiko greeted as he passed by the kitchen, a bit nervous.

"Good morning, dear. How did you two sleep?", she replied casually. Perhaps she hadn't seen them?

 _Best to not let her know if she doesn't already._

"Pretty well. Zakura is a bit of a handful. She has a sprained ankle and lost her voice. So I sort of had to carry her everywhere…"

He laughed nervously, hoping not to arouse suspicion from his mother.

"Did you call her 'Zakura'?"

"Oh! Yeah. She changed her name I guess. I haven't exactly asked her about it since I don't want to strain her voice. She is still that same girl though… and… I apologized to her."

"I'm proud of you," she beamed. "You seem much… more yourself now that you've gotten to see her again. I enjoyed that you got into your studies, but you shouldn't have let it consume you…"

"Yeah, you're right. But I feel so much more relieved now that I got to apologize to her. I… I think I um… really like her, momma."

"I can tell," she replied with a sly tone in her voice.

 _Oh shit… she knows doesn't she…?_

"When I came home, I saw the two of you curled up in your bed. You both seemed comfortable so I didn't want to bother you. But you know I have to ask, Aihiko…"

"We didn't! I swear we didn't! She… had a nightmare. So she didn't want to sleep alone. So she sort of… clung to me. But I promise we -"

"I believe you. I know my son isn't like that. I trust you to be respectful. That's how I raised you after all."

 _Oh thank goodness. Dodged that bullet…_

Aihiko watched as his mother began setting the table with a proud smile on her face. He sighed, knowing she was alright with what had happened during the night. He really wished to tell her about the vision that lead to their kiss and the name he kept using on her, but it was best to keep that under wraps for now.

He then headed to the washroom to retrieve the girl's school uniform from atop the dryer. Once it was all in hand, he hurried upstairs and into his room where Zakura awaited her clothes. In the worst way possible. Just like the night before, she was stark naked, laid completely bare on his bed.

Quickly, the boy averted his eyes and covered them with his free hand.

"What are you doing?!", he whisper-shouted at the pink haired girl. "You didn't have to be _naked_! What if my momma sees?!"

"Oh. I guess you're right. But where would the fun be in that?", she replied seductively, lidding her eyes and grinning devilshly. This girl certainly knew damn well how to use her feminine wiles as a weapon.

He approached his bed carefully, sidestepping so as not to look directly at her. He knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to pry his curious eyes. Once he had reached her feet, he quickly dropped off the pile of clothes and turned around entirely.

"Th-there's all of your clothes. P-please get dressed…"

"Mmmm, alright. If that's what you want, _daaarling_ ~", she teased. "I figured you'd want another look."

"N-not right now… M-my momma is home and -"

"Oh~? So you _do_ want another peek…", she interrupted.

"Y-yeah well… you're… attractive. Very attractive…"

He felt a large blush come across his face, and he was certainly glad he was facing away, because she would have definitely teased him for his red face.

With a sigh, the boy found his way to his own uniform and picked up the blazer, collared shirt, and pants, and a fresh pair of boxers from his drawer, making sure to face away from the girl getting dressed on his bed. The sounds of zippers and shuffling caught his attention but he consistently maintained control.

"Be back in a minute. I'm going to go get dressed elsewhere."

* * *

After several minutes of cleaning up in the washroom, and suiting up for school, Hiko cautiously returned to his room, closing his eyes as he entered.

"You're actually _dressed_ this time, right?"

"Yeah, you can look," he heard Zakura reply.

Upon opening his eyes, he saw a total surprise. She was actually clothed!

Her school uniform actually looked quite cute on her and he couldn't help but observe it in its entirety. The way her soft pink hair was contrasted by the grays and greens of her outfit, it only added to her beauty. He had been mesmerized by her ever since yesterday, but now, looking at her all cleaned up and taken care of, it was on a totally different scale.

 _I bet she would look incredible in just about anything._

She noticed his exploring eyes and smiled at him gracefully. She did the same to him, and eyed him up and down.

"Your outfit looks great on you too. No wonder I couldn't find you all these years. You were in a different school."

"Yeah I sort of… received a scholarship…"

"Sounds like you're pretty accomplished then."

"I sort of… became obsessed with studying… I actually got lost in it a lot. But that's a story for later. Breakfast should be ready so we shouldn't keep momma waiting."

After reaching the side of the bed Zakura resided on, he lowered himself and arched his back as a platform for her. She slid herself on to him and he then hoisted himself straight and held her legs.

"If you can, stay off your ankle today. I'll see if we can't get you a wheelchair or something so you can get around easier."

"I don't need a wheelchair!", she snapped. "I'll be fine just limping around without you."

"But… that's not good for you," Aihiko pleaded. "Maybe a cane or something would be helpful."

He began carrying the wounded girl down to the kitchen as she audibly pouted with a 'hmph!'.

"I'll figure something out myself. I appreciate you carrying me in the house, but I won't have that luxury at school."

"I know that. That's why I'm trying to help…"

"I'll limp. I don't care."

"A-alright just don't get hurt anymore…"

Once in the kitchen, Hiko placed the teenage girl in her seat and pulled out the one at its side. He sat down with a sigh, aware that she was too stubborn for him to convince. He would have to do something once they arrived at the school, without her knowledge.

"Judging by your uniform, you go to Hokkaido High?", he inquired.

She replied with a nod and began to dig into the food already set on the table. Aihiko's mother let out a hearty laugh as she watched the girl gobble up the food, rice and soup practically flying through the air.

"She always eats like this. She has been starving up until now, so I guess it makes sense," the boy nervously commented to his fascinated mom.

To Hiko's surprise, breakfast was fairly quiet in terms of conversation. He was used to having nice, light discussions with his mother over breakfast, but now that they were accompanied by a famished young girl, they simply viewed the show in bewilderment. She was eating by shoveling handfuls upon handfuls of rice and fish into her mouth as if she was at an eating competition. Her eating etiquette needed a _lot_ of work.

Last minute preparations were fairly uneventful, as Hiko and Zakura packed their bags for the day ahead. He still had plenty of questions, especially ones regarding her drawings and behaviors, but he felt uneasy about asking about them. More so the unhealthy habits than the drawings. Perhaps after school.

* * *

It was _sooooooo_ cute the way he carried her around on her back all around the house. He was so sweet and innocent, she just couldn't wait to embarrass him more! It was like he was begging to be toyed with constantly!

She had already zippered her bag and been hoisted on his back when something caught his attention.

"Hold on. I think you're forgetting something," the innocent little boy claimed as he grabbed her ID from the table. "You'll probably need this."

"I've already closed my bag. It's probably not that big of a deal if I don't have it for the day."

"Well it's still important, so I'll hold onto it until we get to your school, alright?", he said as he slipped the small card into his jacket pocket.

"Mmm, okay, darling~", she cooed.

"H-hey, don't say that with my momma around…!"

 _Oh so Momma would get upset if I call you darling around her? Duly noted~_

"Okay, okay…"

* * *

With everything said and done for the morning, the two set out for school, waving goodbye to Aihiko's mother as he carried Zakura on his back.

"You're lucky that our schools aren't too far from each other. I normally walk, but we can take the bus if you want. It'll be easier on us both."

"Hmm I haven't been on a bus in a long time," she claimed, wondering about when the last time was.

"Alright, bus it is then," he replied cheerfully, probably because he wouldn't have to walk a mile with a girl on his back.

A few minutes later, the couple arrived a bus stop and hopped on. Aihiko instructed the driver of their destination and walked back to a pair of empty seats about halfway down the bus and placed her gently down on the seat by the window. Good choice, she loved watching the world pass by.

She watched him seat himself next to her and smile. Those beautiful icy blue eyes caught her attention again. He wasn't the only one finding their new partner to be stunning. Something was new this morning, however. She couldn't quite identify what was different, but his eyes had a sort of gentle radiance to them. Like he was revitalized. Maybe because he was just super happy to be back together? She was unsure, but it didn't bother her. In fact it calmed her, soothed those worries about going back to that horrible place called school.

She returned the gesture with a wide grin that showed off her fangs and then leaned up against his shoulder. She was so glad everything was back to being good and happy, yupyup! No more street brawls, no more perverted men, just her and her new darling.

The boy sitting next to her tenderly wrapped his arms around her, and leaned back against her. She could hear his steady breaths as they enjoyed the short ride to Hokkaido High School.

* * *

Just after 8 AM, the two teenagers arrived at Hokkaido High, a general public school. It was not a very large building, but consisted of three stories, and was home to a gymnasium and full sized cafeteria.

Hiko once again carried her on his back all the way to the school yard and then turned his head back to Zakura.

"Hey, where is the infirmary?", he inquired suddenly.

"Infirmary? Why?", she almost growled back. She despised that place, and every other place with the needles and medical equipment. Those people never know how to properly treat things, and they always interrogate and blame her for how she got hurt.

"Because you need something to help you walk. I'm not gonna let you walk around school with a bad ankle. You need to get some assistance."

Zakura snarled at the thought of going to the infirmary again. Was he planning on this the whole time? To make her put down her guard so he could force her to be in a wheelchair?

"No, no, NO, _NO!_ ", she hissed in protest, struggling a bit against his back.

"Stop being a child," he snapped back with surprising seriousness. "You are hurt. You're letting me help you, now let someone else help you while I'm not around. It's not like they will hurt you. Please, do it for me."

 _Do it for you?! Oh, you sly little shit! Pulling that card on me now? Ugh! I hate that place but..._

"Fine… just for you," she whispered.

"Thank you. Now where is it, honey?"

A slight blush rose to the surface of her face from the use of that word.

"F-first floor… on the right from the entrance…"

Zakura was a bit upset he had used her feelings towards him against her, but she knew she would be a hypocrite to say it was out line. After all, she constantly did the same thing at home, when she teased him about her body. Fine, she would endure this visit to hell.

They arrived soon after, to a loud, exasperated sigh from the nurse in her office. A well endowed, golden blond woman began to approach them. Zakura was well acquainted with the woman, that prying little _shit stain._

"Oh goodness, what has the troublemaker gotten into this time?", she questioned with a groan, rubbing the bridge of her nose in irritation.

"Zakura hurt her ankle yesterday. It doesn't have to do with school, but I wondered if you wouldn't mind allowing her to borrow something to walk on," the boy carrying her responded. "She can't walk well, and I don't want her limping around school."

"All I have is a pair of crutches. Is it broken or sprained?"

"I believe it's only sprained. She can still walk on it, but I would prefer if she didn't."

The blond nurse let out another irritated sigh, and when she turned around to retrieve said crutches, Zakura stuck her tongue out in spite. This foul creature deserved more, but she had decided to remain somewhat reserved.

 _Ugh, I hate this. I hate this woman, and I hate that I have to use crutches. I'm pathetic._

Reluctantly, Zakura allowed Aihiko and the school nurse to help her use the crutches in order to walk around. Once she got the hang of it, the girl growled in disgust.

"I hate this. It's going to make me a target."

She knew all too well that wasn't the full reasoning for having a fit over something designed to help her, it didn't have to do with being a target at all.

"Would you rather risk hurting yourself more?", the blond woman tackled. She couldn't be more obvious with the amount of annoyance she voiced.

"No, she wouldn't. Thank you for your help," Aihiko replied respectfully in place of Zakura.

* * *

After getting everything situated surrounding her care, Aihiko and Zakura left the infirmary, the girl clumsily maneuvering the crutches to get around.

"See? Now you don't need me. You'll be fine getting around the school now, right?"

"Ugh… Yeah, yeah. These things are just so damn annoying…"

"You'll get used to them, don't worry."

"That's not my problem. I just don't want to be seen as weak, because I'll be targeted."

"You won't be targeted. Just don't get in any trouble, alright? I have to go to my own school. Wait for me and I'll pick you up afterwards."

The pink haired girl nodded reluctantly, still fuming about the walking assistants she was forced to use.

"It's not about being targeted…" Zakura mumbled. She held her crutches with an iron grip, even fearing she might snap them like twigs.

Her black haired companion tilted his head and looked into her eyes deeply, clearly wanting to know the rest of her thought. There they were again, the only things in the world that was soothe the worry and the pain. Not just that, they were _definitely_ prettier than last night, like almost superdeliciousOhMYGODSTAREatmeMORE levels of pretty. They had changed, but _entirely_ for the better. She loved his eyes, she loved his face. Everything was _soooooooo_ fucking cute.

"It's about…?"

His voice snapped her from her entranced state. How long had she been staring into those two jewels in his head? She needed to be careful, she would easily be lost in them for hours. They were like a calming ocean wave, wrapping around and caressing her entire body, just letting her float carefree. But she couldn't vacation there just yet.

"...it's about pity. I hate being pitied. I hate being treated like I can't take care of myself dammit… I pretty much raised myself. I don't want someone's goodwill. Why the hell would I?!"

The once calm pupils began to shine red. Rage was beginning to take over as the girl was entering dangerous emotional levels. But she couldn't hold back now, he wanted to know, so he would know.

"Where the hell was the goodwill and care when I went through that fucking sickness?! Where was it when I lost my only friend?! Where was it when I lost my _parents_?! Everything! _Everything got completely fucked!_ "

Dormant fangs began to awaken as she seethed to the brim. She was hit full force with feelings she thought she had long abandoned. The ocean water that had calmed her moments before was now _boiling_ , and she was the cause.

"Woah, woah, honey, calm yourself!" the boy called out in vain. He had awakened the beast within, unshackled it, and it was about to unleash its fury.

"Where was the world when I lost _everything?!_ WHERE?! WHERE, HUH?! I DIDN'T ASK FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE TO BE RUIN -"

Aihiko threw himself around her and began to stroke her hair, something he knew she enjoyed, without a doubt.

"I know, I know. Relax… darling is here. We will rebuild that lost life. It's gonna take time, but we will do it, for sure. Just take it easy…"

The ocean stopped boiling in an instant. A cold wash of water washed over her, causing the fire to fizzle out. She was once again in her happy place. She took a deep whiff of it and let the fresh air dull her anger. Everything was alright now. Darling was here.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as he continued the embrace until he was sure she had calmed down all the way.

"There. Better?", he inquired, as if he needed an answer. She was no longer shaking with anger, and instead was enjoying the warm hug she had received.

"Mhm…", she replied softly as she stuck her nose into his neck and sniffed again. His scent was stronger, tastier. He began to pull from the hug, blushing a tad bit.

"Good. I have to head to school now myself, oka -"

A pleasant present had been planted on his lips. A kiss from a very happy pink haired girl. It was only a short one, but it was affectionate nonetheless. She had rosy cheeks as she slinked back to her crutches and hoisted herself up on them.

"I know you do. Have a good day… _darling~_ "

She didn't even have to keep facing the boy to know his face had been stained red. He was caught off guard by the sudden kiss, and she had added insult to injury by using her new favorite word.

Darling. Darling! _Darling!_ Daaaarr _ling~!_ Her mind began to wonder just how many ways the word could be phrased as she headed to homeroom that morning.

* * *

 _Jeez! This damn girl changes emotions so much and so quickly, it makes my head spin! First, she's pissed, practically screaming, and the next, she's all kissing and "darling~" to me. I really don't get girls._

Hiko placed his hands in the pocket of his blazer as his mind raced and his face remained a flush red. She seriously changed personalities instantly! He didn't understand. Granted, he had calmed her, which was good, but she went from a hundred to zero in no time at all. It made no sense.

He continued his march to his school, he still had plenty of time to make it. He just hoped she would be fine without him where she was. Sure she could take care of herself when she could properly stand, but now she could hurt by anyone who disliked her.

The thought of anyone laying a malicious finger on even her precious pink hair made something rage inside him. He wasn't an aggressive person, in fact he was quite passive and docile, but that one thought made him imagine the scenario, in which he would respond by beating the _ever living shit_ out of whoever touched her.

He clenched his fists in his pocket just thinking about the possibility. Why was he so angry? Why was he being so protective? Was he what she hated most…? Was he pitying her? It had to be more than that. He had never felt this way in his entire life.

Out of frustration of being stuck in his thoughts, the boy quickly flung the side of his fist into a street sign, not caring at all about the pain that resulted from it. He was just so _pissed_ for no reason, and he couldn't seem to calm himself down. Had her anger rubbed off on him?

The boy had never turned back to view the street sign surrounded by frightened bystanders. The bus stop sign didn't have a slight blemish from the punch, it had been clearly _warped_ , forming an acute angle from the point of impact.

* * *

He just couldn't seem to get her out of his head. It was driving him insane, as if he had to be with her at all times. He knew that wasn't the case, but even still, he felt he should skip school to spend the day with her. She was so… helpless in those crutches, he could help.

 _No! She is fine, Hiko. She can take care of herself._

He stopped at a crossroad and took a few deep breaths. In and out. In and out. Calm.

Much better.

He shook his hand that he had used to punch that sign, it was still screaming in pain. Better not do that again. At least it got some frustration out. Upon allowing the hand to slip back into his pocket, he became aware he had forgotten something - Zakura's ID. In his embarrassed state, he must have forgotten to give it back!

 _Shit! Do I go run back or risk her not having it all day?_

That's right. She did say it didn't matter all that much. Maybe having an ID in her school wasn't as much as a priority as Apus High. At his private school, you couldn't so much as enter the school grounds without proper ID.

 _Dammit… I have to get to school. I can drop it off during lunch. It'll also be a good time to sort of have a date too… I really need to get on top of asking her out…_

He sighed heavily, knowing he might have just screwed Zakura over for the day, but she would have to wait. He had to make it to school himself. With a short double take back in the direction of Hokkaido High School, the private school boy took off.

* * *

Lunchtime couldn't come soon enough. It seemed as though the whole day, Hiko had spent it nervously imagining situations that could befall Zakura in her weakened state. He had chewed away a lot of his pencil's butts, and tapped the point when not chewing. He was a nervous wreck for some reason.

Paranoia was overcoming him, but at last, there was that sweet release. He had about 40 minutes to get to her, to hand her the ID and get back to school. He could do it.

From the fifth story to the first in just seconds, the invigorated teenage boy sprinted, heading in the direction of Hokkaido High, and he felt like his legs were carrying him fast than ever. It felt _incredible_. He felt free and unburdened, it was all for her. For her. For Her!

He couldn't help but grin and laugh like a child as he ran through the city of Strelizia, faster and free-er than he ever had been. He took a slightly faster route than last time, bypassing the bent street sign from earlier. The route was a beeline to the other high school, no detours, no obstructions. More than anything, he wanted to see her. He wanted to see those eyes. Those gorgeous eyes. Those stunningly beautiful bright green eyes of hers, he needed to see them!

The scent of the city and the feeling of the breeze in his layered hair was just the cherry on top of this cake of an experience. Something had brought forth so much life and energy in his body, and he wanted to believe it was her. She had single handedly made him feel as if he could accomplish anything as long as she was around. Was this feeling… love?

Ten minutes was all it took to reach the gates of the public school she attended.

 _Ten minutes?! Holy crap, I must have been making my legs stronger just carrying her around! But she's so light! Light and soft and perfect!_

He shook his head quickly to rid himself of the images of her soft skin laid out before him. He had to control himself right now.

He entered the school and stopped by the infirmary to ask the nurse where Zakura's classroom was. She was most likely eating there since she didn't like people.

 _Got it. Class 2-A._

Aihiko received strange looks from the students of Hokkaido, most likely due to his own school uniform not matching theirs. He was only visiting however, and was surprised he was as welcomed as he was.

A quick trip to the second story and then to the classroom marked 2-A lead him to Zakura's homeroom class. She wasn't expecting him, so if he was lucky he would get a surprised little smile from her, showing off those adorable little fangs of hers. He wanted that badly.

With a deep breath, the nervous boy opened the classroom door and looked around at its residents. Most people weren't even paying him any mind, and were instead staring out the window to the courtyard at the center of the school.

 _What the hell? Is something happening?_

"Excuse me, um… My name is Aihiko. I'm a friend of Zakura's," he called out to the classroom, alerting them to his presence. "Does anyone know where she is?"

A few members of the window gang turned back and grinned. A brown haired boy with his hair slicked back replied.

"Yeah, we know where she's at!"

A gleeful smile came across the black haired boy's face. He could finally see her! His honey!

"Really?" he chirped, trying to contain his excitement.

The boy at the window nodded and then… pointed. Out the window.

"Come see for yourself!"

Aihiko's heart sank. What was she doing in the courtyard at lunch time? She's supposed to be eating her packed lunch. Alone and undisturbed in her classroom. Why? Why was she in the courtyard?

Panicking, he rushed to the window, hoping she was just eating outside.

Taking up the spot next to the pointing boy, he looked out the window and saw her. Not just her, but that large black haired teen from yesterday, the one she had kicked across the neck. He recognized him instantly. There were other student bystanders, but it was clear that there was something happening between Zakura and this boy, and Hiko felt himself hit a boiling point.

Hiko watched the slaughter continue for only a few moments, the wounded pink haired girl being tossed around like a ragdoll as the large boy assaulted her continuously with punches.

The private school boy let out a feral growl and clenched his fists with enough force to pierce his skin. His vision became completely tinted red. Blood began to flow from his palms, but he couldn't care less. Blinded by rage and the need for revenge, Aihiko began his descent to face his prey.

* * *

 _Darling is so adorable~ I can't wait to see him again after school~ I'm gonna kiss him and lick him and he's gonna blush and EEEEeeeeee! I can't stop thinking about him!_

Zakura cupped both of her cheeks with her hands and shook her head wildly, internally screaming about the boy she liked. Darling was the only thing she could think about all day, she had sketched him about fifteen, no sixteen times, yupyupyup! He was just so perfectBeautifulANDHISEYES made her swoon. She had no idea where this obsession had come from, but she embraced it like a sixth sense.

She felt renewed and confident as she went about school that day, and now, she had even decided to have her lunch down in the cafeteria where most other students were. Some remained in the classrooms, but a lot of students actually dined on the first floor cafeteria.

Nothing could tear her from her thoughts about her childhood friend. Actually, was he even a friend anymore? They had done some cute stuff together and they even had cute nicknames for one another. Maybe they were more? _Double_ friends? Was that even possible?!

The girl kicked her legs gently at her table, her thoughts and senses still driven wild by that boy. The sound of clattering crutches caught her attention. Who dared disturb her thoughts?

A large, muscular teen with messy, thin black hair was looming over her. He seemed pissed. She wasn't in the mood to be interrupted.

"Can I help you, ugly?" she hissed.

"Yes, yes, you can," he responded matter-of-factly. "See, my friend Roz is in the hospital cuz you broke his back. I'm here for payback, you little bitch."

 _Ah, so he was one of the brutes from yesterday. Ugh, not again._

"Piss off, I'm not in the mood for this."

A giant hand ripped her from her seat, holding her by her collar.

"Guess what? I don't care what kind of mood you're in," the large boy snarled. "You're getting your bitch ass kicked right now. Fuck your little crutches, I don't feel bad at all beating the snot out of you."

Her eyes narrowed at the brute and she snarled right back.

"I dare you to try, you limp dicked shit stain."

Following her sharp reply, she spit in the boy's face, right between the eyes. He clearly didn't take kindly to the gesture as he returned it by tossing her from the cafeteria into the flanking courtyard, through the open door leading to it.

She groaned loudly as she attempted to pick herself up off the ground, the force had hurt considerably, but not enough that she couldn't deal with it. The angered boy rushed her like a bull, plowing his fist into her stomach and flinging her even further backwards. Zakura fought the urge to hurl as she screamed in pain. Everything was hurting now.

She panted heavily as the bull approached her, slowly this time. A small crowd began to form around him, cheering him on. Was she really hated this much? Everything was going perfectly today and now everyone had singled her out, putting her in the ring with someone twice her size as if it was a fair fight. Which it probably would have been, had her ankle not been wounded.

Gently, she began to pull herself to her feet, stumbling and trembling from the last two impacts. Zakura gritted her teeth from the pain of her ankle screeching at her.

 _IGNORE IT! IT'S JUST PAIN!_

Trying her best to stand up straight, the pink haired girl raised her hands and arms in front of her, taking a defensive stance. She couldn't be light on her feet, but at the very least she could defend herself - or so she thought.

A smiling Aihiko flashed into her mind and she focused on that lovely smile of his. The way his innocent eyes looked over her, it made everything worth it. She would -

That same large hand from earlier had gripped tightly around her neck and lifted her from the ground. She was daydreaming! She had let this boy too close without even realizing!

His other hand formed a fist and tore into her face as he released his grip, sending her tumbling into the grass and dirt, her left eye pulsating with enough pain to cripple an elephant. Her groans of agony were accompanied by her hands holding her face, where his knuckles had connected. Everything was on fire. No, everything was _melting_. The suffering was almost unfathomable.

Zakura's legs were no longer functioning. She was a sitting duck filled to the brim with aching muscles and bones. Her cries of mercy and screams of torment only made the crowd cheer more as the bull used her as a personal playtoy.

The world became a swirling chaotic jumble of colors as she flew back and forth around the courtyard, completely unable to defend herself anymore. People… found this amusing? To see her body become beaten and bruised, bloody and broken, because she defended herself the day prior? Her mind became muddled. She just wanted to think about him. Her precious darling, but the world had other plans, in the form of unrelenting, heavy punches. She wasn't even allowed a moment of respite to let her mind wander to those beautiful blue eyes…

"Get away from her. Now."

That voice. Her ears were ringing, but she knew that voice! Darling! Darling had come to her rescue! Tears ran down her bloody and beaten face as she raised her head from the slumped forward position she was in. It was him, without a doubt. Even through the garbled mess of a world, she could make out that black and blue uniform.

The bull turned to face the small outsider.

"Eh?! Who the hell are you, kid? This isn't your school!", she heard him shout. Her vision began to fade, as did her consciousness, but she remained strong. Darling liked her confidence and her strength, she had to hold on, for him!

Aihiko began approaching her, his hands clenched tightly.

"Don't you dare touch her again. Or I'll personally destroy you. Get away from Zakura. I'm not warning you again."

Darling was… angry? She had never felt this sort of power from the boy. The air of hatred that he exuded was so… off putting. He was always such a delicate, innocent boy. She had no idea that he was capable of this level of anger. Maybe she was dreaming?

He continued his march towards her, his determination unwavering, even as the large brute screamed questions and obscenities his way. His only care was the battered girl in the center of the courtyard.

"You have no idea what she goes through day to day, you bully," he yelled back in response. "None of you do! You're all a bunch of assholes! Beating up a girl who can't defend herself! Is this how you all get your sick fucking kicks, huh?! You should all be ashamed!"

The crowd fell almost entirely silent. Seems like darling's words hit home.

The bull charged. Not at Aihiko, but at her. Her eyes widened in fear. He was going to destroy her before anyone got in the way.

Another flying right fist send her head plummeting to the ground, blood distorting the entire world. Everything… hurt… so much… There weren't even words for the amount of pain she was in.

" _I TOLD YOU NOT TO FUCKING TOUCH HER!_ ", she heard him scream rancorously before charging the teen twice his size. He didn't stand a chance.

 _No… darling… don't…!_

She watched as her darling quite incredulously leapt from the ground and struck back at the bully. He landed a clean blow across his face from what she could see, and drug the towering male's entire body - head first - to the ground in a feat of baffling proportions. Just a few feet in front of her, her darling had toppled the teenager twice his size, and brought him crashing to the ground like a meteorite.

Debris, grass, and dirt flew in all directions, and once the scene had cleared, Zakura couldn't believe her eyes. The ground had actually cratered from the blow, the large black haired boy lay unconscious, and atop him, a very, very pissed Aihiko. From where she was, she could barely see the azure glint in his eyes, and the way he grit his teeth. For lack of a better term, it was… monstrous.

A low, infuriated growl came from the private school boy as he looked down at his prey.

 _Darling…?_

* * *

Chapter Five - **Darling / For Her**

 _ **(To anyone who notices a drop in quality, I apologize. Also for being so slow with updating this story. I have been battling with myself for a few days now and I am having trouble finding the motivation to write consistently. I already know where I'm going with the story so it's really just a matter of wording it and posting it. It's just been a bit hard lately due to some internal struggles. I know I shouldn't be too personal, but to anyone enjoying this story, please be patient with me. Updates have been flying out due to my creative mind being at full blast, but it seems to have come to a halt. Don't worry, I am not giving up on this, but I just need to re-energize myself is all.** **Thank you all for the lovely reviews, they really keep me coming back to my computer to type up this wonderful creation of mine. Thank you in advance for your patience! Ride on my darlings~!)**_


	6. Singled Out, So MUcH COnFusiOn

It took all the strength Zakura had to remain conscious in her battered state. Blood dripped from her forehead, her arms, and legs. If you could name it, it was damaged in some way. She had no idea how her beanie had managed to still occupy her head. It could have just been stuck on her horns, but either way, she was glad it didn't give the people who hated her any more fuel.

If she didn't know any better, she would probably assume that a large portion of her body was broken. Even with her somewhat resilient body to protect her, she had indeed had been beaten to a literal bloody pulp. How she was going to be able to function was beyond her in that moment. Every passing moment felt like more knives stabbing into her skin, more hammers pounding on her head and bones. Her left eye was barely functioning. Whether it was ripped out or just swollen, it was futile to even assume. She wanted to scream out in agony, writhe on the ground to attempt to relieve herself of the torturous agony that wracked her body, but she hadn't the energy for it. Or the breath for it.

Even though her body was been decimated by this large teenager, and the world spun, colliding with the tears and blood in her right eye, her thoughts were not on herself. She could only look forward, at the unbelievable scene before her. Darling had toppled her assailant, and not only that, he had single handedly shook the earth with his rage and revenge.

The moment her childhood friend had let out that furious sound, she knew something was not right. That most certainly was her darling, but he was not a brawler, he was not nearly that strong, that… monstrous. Something was quite off indeed, and even as she looked on with bewilderment, another feeling mixed with it. Something deep down, something she never believed she would feel in this situation - excitement. Yes, she was excited, overjoyed, adrenalized.

His low, weighty voice almost boomed across the schoolyard, although it was nothing more than the volume you'd use when talking to someone in the same room as you. It felt different, but… in a good way?

"I told you not to touch her. You brought this upon yourself," she heard the boy announce. "If anyone… any of you, lay a hand on her _ever_ again… I'll personally hunt you down."

His words sent a chill down her spine. She was the only person she had ever witnessed be so cold. But she was a demon, so it had made sense in her mind. Aihiko, on the other hand was so… sweet, caring, loving even. Hearing him speak in such a disconnected, cold tone was sort of… frightening but… euphoric. She knew it wasn't a good indication of his mental state, but he most likely did everything in the last minute out of love for her. So why not revel in this new, _masculine_ Hiko?

The entire school was silent at the sight of the brawl. Nobody dared speak, they were all too shocked by what had just occurred. It seemed as though hours had passed long before anything was said or done. Until -

"This kid is sort of a hunk~!", Zakura heard a girl murmur from the front of the swarming students. A dark red haired girl with purple eyes and a single, curved hair popping out from the top of her head was the culprit of the comment. She was wearing her hair up in twintails.

"Hey! I was gonna say that!", an almost identical girl called to her, turning to face the look alike. The girls probably couldn't be told apart except for their hairstyles, this one was had her hair tied up in a single ponytail. They even had the same stupid cowlick.

Of course, the annoying twins from her class. Jinx and Juju, the two class clowns slash troublemakers. They argued in class and during breaks practically every day and had drove Zakura insane, they were literally _always_ fighting and causing problems.

Without a single ounce of worry or hesitation, the twins approached the black haired boy who had caused a scene.

"Hey, could I get your number?", the ponytail girl Jinx asked suddenly.

"No, me! I'm prettier than her!", Juju jeered at her sister.

Aihiko stepped off the mountain of a man beneath his feet and gave the two girls a disgusted look before replying with a nasty, insulting hiss.

"I'm _not_ interested. In _either_ of you. I have a partner. Now piss off."

If she looked closely enough, she could tell the exact moment their hearts broke in two. As her darling turned his attention to her, the twins immediately began fussing at each other, blaming one another for messing things up. Apparently, they hadn't figured out that Hiko was her's. And she was _Hiko's_. Mmmm, she was _totally_ his…

She watched the private school boy draw closer as the courtyard started to buzz once again. Rumors and comments were flying to and fro, though what each one was about, she was none the wiser. Everything was lost in translation as she felt her mind start to fade. She couldn't hold on much longer. Blood loss was causing her pain to be misread as lightheadedness, the world became cold and depressing.

Until she felt his warm arms wrap gently around her body. It was almost as if he breathed life back into her. She gasped for air as he carefully hugged her, making sure not to cause her more pain.

"I'm so sorry… I should have never left you alone. And I don't plan to, anymore. I'm glad I ran back here. Who knows if anyone would have stepped in…?"

Her lips and neck were too swollen to speak properly, but she managed what she could.

"Dar… ling…", she rasped weakly. "Thank... you…"

She attempted a slight smile at the boy comforting her. His icy blue eyes had _definitely_ changed, enough for her to notice. In the center of those cyan irises of his, his pupils had transformed into sharp, deep azure ones, still glowing gently from his encounter. Was he… becoming like her? That was impossible… right?

His eyes became watery as a few tears pushed their way down his face. There was that innocent loving boy she had become so well acquainted with. That dark, cold side of him melted away as he embraced her.

"You don't have to thank me. I'd do this for you again and again. I'm never going to let someone hurt you ever again."

He hadn't a care in the world that his hands and uniform were stained red from his hug with Zakura.

"You and I are going home. I know you hurt a lot but I have to pick you up, so it's gonna hurt a bit. Just bear with me, okay?"

Her entire body howled in pain as she was lifted off the ground by his delicate hands. As gentle as he was, even the slight and slow movements made her beg for mercy.

The situation was embarrassing and shameful. The entire world had turned against her, punished her for her actions. Everything she had done. Stealing, killing, maiming. For some reason, she still felt the punishment she received was unjust, unequal to the harm she had caused in her past. Was this how the world worked? Eye for an eye, even when she was only fending for herself in this fucked up life?

The only one who had cared to understand, the only one who _could_ understand, he had come to face the world with her. Maybe things wouldn't go her way, but with him around, with his soothing eyes… maybe, just maybe things would be tolerable. After all, she no longer had static corrupting her thoughts, and it was because of… Aihiko.

He acted as gently as he possibly could, offering her upper back and knees support as he held her limp body and pulled himself to his feet. Zakura rested her head against his chest, and her arms had been crossed on top of her torso already.

One look around at the student body surrounding them made her quite cross. Not only had they turned against her, they had turned it into a fucking game, a show to enjoy. Many onlookers were happily munching on their lunch, she knew they had watched her get torn apart like she was part of a movie.

"What the _heck_ is happening here?!", a loud, feminine voice called from the entrance to the courtyard.

 _Oh great. She's here. I'm going to be in even bigger trouble now. Just stack it on._

"All of you, disperse! Get back to your classrooms or to the cafeteria at once. I won't be having this gathering on my watch."

Her voice wasn't loud or cold, but _damn_ if it wasn't commanding and effective. Every student that was present and conscious scrambled away like chickens with their heads chopped off. The small bossy girl remained, glaring at the few unmoving figures in the yard with her hands on her hips. Zakura growled quietly at her appearance, but a small shushing sound from Hiko silenced her immediately.

She began her approach, almost ignoring the unconscious giant on the ground, and headed straight towards them. Her soft green eyes contrasted her sharp and authoritative attitude, and her deep, dark azure hair, that was styled in a graduated bob. She was rather thin and small in stature, almost an entire head's height shorter than Zakura last time she had checked, but that certainly didn't hold her back from ruling the entire school.

"I should have known you'd be causing more trouble, Tenshi," the petite girl snapped. "It's always you or those twins."

"Wait, you've got this all wrong!", Aihiko interjected quickly. "Zakura is the victim here! She was using crutches to get around all day, since she sprained her ankle yesterday. That guy there -", Hiko nodded towards the large, black haired teen. "- he attacked her. She couldn't fight back! Look at her! He beat her to a bloody pulp!"

"Be that as it may, this is not your problem. This is my school, and I will see to it that both of these students are punished thoroughly. That's my job as student council president, after all. I have to lay down the law."

"Not my _problem?!"_

Zakura heard his tone immediately change, almost like someone had offended him or even worse, _her_. Something about his new, aggressive tone aroused her. She liked it. A lot.

"Listen up, shorty. When _your_ students are threatening and bullying _MY_ girlfriend, you better believe it's my problem. I was not going to stand by and let her be tossed around like a ragdoll until you decided to show up and punish her too. Try considering listening to witnesses before making executive decisions against your peers. Especially since it seems that you carry an extreme bias towards her."

The council president stepped back, in disgust and shock at the boy who dared question her authority. Zakura internally cheered for him to stand up for her.

 _Yes! Talk back to that little shit, darling! Show her who's really boss!_

"Y-you dare have the audacity to speak back t-to me? Why are you e-even here? You don't go to this school!"

Darling kept his voice low and equally as serious as the small girl below him.

"I actually came to return my girlfriend's school ID that she left at home," he began to explain. "But, when I arrived, I saw one of _your_ school's bullies kicking the crap out of her like some sort of twisted game of ping pong. Of course, I wasn't going to let him beat her down within an inch of her life. So I stepped in and neutralized the situation. You're welcome."

"You assaulted one of my students?! I'll have you know that I can contact your school and have them suspend you for your actions here! Both of you! B-both of you are going to be suspended!"

He took a single, intimidating step forward and lowered his gaze to the slightly flustered bossy bitch.

"I dare you to do that. I was protecting Zakura, and she has done nothing wrong. If you want to use your power to have us be suspended on illegitimate charges, by all means, _chief._ I won't stop you. I know I'm in the right here, and you're just a biased, corrupted student council president."

"I-I'm not corrupted! I'll g-get witness statements and… and punish accordingly!", the blue haired teenager shouted, increasingly flustered by Aihiko's words. Zakura could just barely make out a bit of red dusting her cheeks.

"Good. Now you can suspend the both of us for skipping. I'm taking her to a hospital before she passes out from blood loss, and I couldn't care less if you think I shouldn't accompany her. I'm going to stay right by her side when nobody else will."

With all that said and done, Hiko stepped around the petite president and began heading for the infirmary, only stopping to spit on the unconscious assailant and to pick up Zakura's school bag.

The blue haired girl only watched in complete and utter surprise. She had never been disputed with, her rule was absolute. Yet, this boy from another school had somehow forced her to surrender from her presidential pedestal.

* * *

Aihiko continued to carry the pink haired girl all the way to the infirmary bridal style. Blood from her was dripping onto the floor steadily as he pushed through the feelings of resentment flooding his mind. On the outside, he was simply gritting his teeth with pure hatred.

 _HowCoulDTheYDoTHISTOMYZAKURAI'lLKillThemKILlKILLkILl fucKInGBunchOFAssHOLes SlimyGreAseBALLstoucHedMYAnGEL sCumscUMTrashBAStaRDs! AndTHENTHENtheN! TherESThisLITTLEBLUEflaTCunT getting in my FUcKINGWay WHATtheFUcKDOYoUUUUknoW?! DiEdieDIeDIE EvERYsINGlePersONheRE ShOULD jUStDIE DIE DIE dIE!_

Taking a deep breath and looking down at her beautiful jade green eyes, - or rather the only one she could keep open - Hiko attempted to calm his nerves by posing a question.

"Was that girl back there Perri? I read your notes about her in your school notebook… you said she was a bossy bitch."

He chuckled lightly and shook his head, agreeing with her notes wholeheartedly. Bossy and stuck up? Understatements.

Zakura softly nodded in his arms, confirming his query, but a pained groan from her made him feel remorseful for asking in the first place.

"I'm sorry! D-don't move if it hurts! Just relax, I'm going to get my mom on the phone and get us taken to a hospital. You need serious medical attention."

He knew quite well the girl hated hospitals and the like for some reason, but this was the only way she was going to get better after that beating. He hoped dearly that her bones weren't broken or fractured. With any luck, it was just bruises and bleeding.

"Nurse!", the boy called out as he entered the school infirmary. "Zakura needs help again! She's…! She's in really bad shape!"

To his surprise, even with their seemingly horrible history, the blond nurse came rushing to Hiko and Zakura's side with haste. She had practically sprinted to him as soon as her eyes were met with the bloodied mess of a girl in his arms.

"What the _hell_ happened here?!", she shouted in shock at the sight.

"She couldn't defend herself. Some bully beat her into the ground. Can you please clean her up and check for any broken bones? I'm calling my mother and taking her to a hospital."

The nurse did just as the boy asked, transferring the limp girl from his arms over to a bed and began cleaning her wounds with urgency. Blood flow needed to be stopped and cuts and scrapes needed to be disinfected. As for broken bones, that was a bit more delicate of a process, one that a school infirmary should best leave to medical professionals.

Aihiko grabbed his cell phone from his bag with an equivalent measure of urgency, dialing his mother in a hurry. He tapped his shoes on the floor nervously, and those few seconds it took were way too long. Every moment that passed, her condition got worse and she was at risk for passing out from blood loss. He hadn't a clue as to how she was still conscious besides her extremely strong mental capacity.

The phone was picked up, Aihiko forced an immediate, high-priority greeting, rushing through his words to get across the point.

"Momma! Zakura got into a fight at school, she's really messed up, she needs to be taken to a hospital right away! She doesn't like medical facilities, so I didn't want to call an ambulance on her, she needs me by her side."

"Woah, hold on sweetie, you're at her schoo -"

He didn't have time for her to finish her question. Every moment was precious.

"Yes! I need you here right away! She's bleeding and bruised, might possibly have broken bones. Please, momma, we need you here, I can explain later!"

"Hiko, what about school?", she asked, clearly not understanding the priority of the situation. Aihiko growled in frustration.

"Momma! Forget about school, please! Her life is ON THE LINE!"

"I got it! I got it! I'm on my way!", she hurriedly replied. Finally, she got the message! The boy hung up immediately.

Hiko rushed to his girlfriend's side and knelt down next to her bed, clenching his teeth extraordinarily tight. How could this happen to her? Why did it have to happen to her? He knew she got into fights _outside_ of school, but he figured that inside school, she would be safe.

He made sure not to get in the way of the nurse treating the girl's various wounds, and he held Zakura's hand as she whined in pain from the disinfectants and bandages that were applied. He couldn't imagine how much pain and suffering she was going through at that time, but each time he tried, his internal seething grew in intensity.

 _I swear I'll kill ThaTPIeCeOFShitFuckiNGAssHOleThatDIdTHIS! This is unnecessary beyond words! SHE COULDN'T EVEN DEFEND HERSELF!_

These thoughts of pure hated were consuming him, blocking out his normally logical thought process. Sure, he was upset beyond belief, but why in the would was he thinking about killing someone? He wasn't himself and he felt it. What was going on?

 _CAlmCalmcalmcalm. Calm. Breathe, in and out._

He did just that as he closed his eyes, taking deep breaths and finding his happy place.

 _Think back to running freely in the city. That was incredible. That felt… so calming. Think about the breeze, the fresh air._

…

 _Much better._

He let out a heavy sigh and smiled at the girl in front of him. Everything was going to be taken care of now, he just needed to figure out the proper steps to take to ensure this never happened again. What could he do?

She could normally defend herself, but that wouldn't ultimately stop the fighting. He could notify the school about her tendencies, have them cut in if anything started, but she most likely wouldn't like being watched since she enjoyed her independence.

Now that he was thinking logically and rationally once again, ideas and solutions came and go until one stuck quite well. It wasn't fool proof, and it didn't guarantee there would be no fighting, but having a second person around her at all times would lower the chance of a total beat down like this. It could work, but it might require some effort to get the solution going. The first step was -

His mother arrived in the infirmary with haste. It must have not even been ten minutes that she had taken. She seemed stressed and worried as she barged in and saw the condition that Zakura was currently in. Though admittedly, it was significantly better than she was a few minutes prior, at least from an appearance standpoint. Bandages were covering a majority of her skin, reminding Aihiko of a mummy. Hiko had been holding an ice pack on her left eye for what felt like excruciating hours, but he knew it was not at all that long. Luckily, he was able to convince the nurse not to remove her head wear.

"Momma! We don't have time to waste. She needs a hospital," he cried out, before turning to the blond nurse who had assisted him in getting her cleaned up.

"Thank you so much uh…" Hiko had never caught her name.

"Tanaka," she replied with a smile, before turning her attention to Hiko's mother. "Your son is a good kid, taking care of her. Hasn't left her side since she came in."

Hiko smiled back and chuckled, a slight blush coming across his face.

"Th-thanks, I think I would do just about anything for her. She deserves it. Anyway, thank you, Miss Tanaka, for working with us, even though I know you two don't seem to get along."

"She's a problem child alright, but that certainly doesn't mean I don't care for her well being. Having you around will be a good influence on her."

He hadn't thought about that. Being around her might be able to stop the fighting purely due to his presence, but she also had a significant change in demeanor when he accompanied her as well. She became much less rigid and blunt from what little time they had spent together. Maybe he _was_ rubbing off on her? Or was it just that she was glad to have a friend around? Someone she could trust wholeheartedly?

His mother sighed with relief and agreement.

"Yeah, that's my son alright," she complimented. "He's a loving kid. I'm proud of him."

* * *

Without too much hesitation, Hiko and his mom thanked Ms. Tanaka for her help, and then with Zakura once again occupying his arms, headed to the car. Right now, her condition was priority. He could tell his mother later about his solution.

As he took up the back seat with Zakura, he laid her legs across his lap delicately. He held her back up straight with his right arm and leaned her head against his chest. Gently and reassuringly, he stroked her long pink hair with his free hand and smiled, and saw her try to do the same back. Thank goodness she had gotten some pain medications, because this time moving her was much easier on her nerves, or so it seemed to him anyway.

Hiko turned his attention to his mom who immediately began to drive to the nearest hospital.

"Momma, I uh… I know I've never missed or skipped school before but -"

She cut him off quite quickly, already knowing what he was about to say. She had no need for an explanation.

"You don't have to clarify, dear. I'm so proud of you. I can tell you see the world differently now, and you're putting your heart where you need to. A day away from school to ensure that your friend lives is the right choice. I'm glad you realize studying and books aren't the only thing you should worry about."

Hiko blinked a few times in surprise. She actually didn't mind that he was skipping school for a friend? She even said it was the right choice. He always assumed his mother cared dearly about his studies, but perhaps one day away for the sake of Zakura wasn't all that bad in his mother's mind.

"About studying… um there was a big fight. That's why she's beaten up like this, but… I sort of had to step in since nobody else was going to help. The school council president made it a point that Zakura would get suspended… and possibly myself as well. J-just in case… you know, my school calls. I mean I'm also skipping the second half of the day, so I wouldn't be surprised if there was some type of repercussion."

He swallowed nervously and scratched at his nose and cheek as he explained the entirety of the situation on the way to the hospital. Everything that had happened between he and Zakura, including the preceding day, just shy of her horns, the nudity, and the visions. Those were omitted for the privacy of the two. She needn't know about their… intimacy and deeper connections on a mental level.

His mother remained silent as she absorbed the details of his explanation spanning about half of the car ride. It wasn't exactly a very long story, as they had only just met yesterday, and he could tell his mother was suspicious that he was holding some details to himself. She knew him like the back of her hand, so she knew when he was being secretive. He couldn't hide things like her horns forever.

"Well, there is sort of one, or rather two things you should know about, momma," he said, just as they arrived at the medical center. Glancing down at the half passed out girl in his arms, he believed the reveal to be the right choice. It would be better if she knew. "Zakura has… um… jeez how do I…"

He fumbled over his words, trying to procure a proper way to tell his mom about them. Screw it, he just had to show her, just seeing them would be all the information she needed.

"... just look!"

The boy swiped the black knit beanie from atop Zakura's head, uncloaking her crimson horns, which seemed to have grown since the morning, perhaps an inch or two. The horned girl's one good eye grew wide in shock at his action. She probably felt betrayed.

 _I really hope she doesn't hate me for this… sorry, honey. Momma needs to know._

The boy with icy blue eyes turned his attention to his mother for her response, which was surprisingly jarring. She had a relieved smile on her face, like she had known all along.

"I can't believe it," his momma sighed with a start. "She was right. I have no idea how I didn't see it all this time. You two… are certainly special."

Special? What did she mean by that? He wondered why his mother was being so vague, intentional or not. The simple, yet vague response left Aihiko a bit puzzled. What did she know?

It took the boy a few moments to formulate a reply in his mind as he furrowed his brow, but just before he could funnel his thoughts into words, she continued with a few tears in her eyes. Not of sadness, but of joy. She seemed as though she had just laid eyes on her first born child, after going through all the torture of pregnancy.

"You two are just… the spitting image of them, and it's not even subtle. How… How did I not see it the moment you brought her home?"

Hiko had enough of the vagueness and wanted some answers.

"Of who? Who, Momma?!", Hiko demanded to know what she was referring to.

There was a short few moments of silence for all of the residents of the car as his mother gathered her thoughts, wiping the few tears away. The weight of the moment was crushing the two teenagers awaiting the next words from her mouth.

And when she spoke, it seemed as every puzzle piece fell into place. It all made sense. As unbelievable and ludicrous it sounded, it just… worked.

Everything that occurred those following hours - the arrival, the way Zakura clung to his body when the doctors attempted to take her, the time he spent calming her down, the strong grip on his hand that remained even as they treated her, to when the doctors used her blood to confirm her identity as Sakura Kobayashi - all of it was a foggy, muddled mess of memories.

His mother's words had twisted something inside him, and for the life of him, he could not figure out what. He felt as if he wasn't even conscious those few hours, he was just watching her mouth move over and over in his mind; replaying those words on an endless loop, like hearing them would allow him to understand their deeper meaning.

* * *

"Hiro and Zero Two."

* * *

Who were these people? Zero Two was indeed something he had accidentally called Zakura a few times, especially during that vision in a strange cockpit they both had. She was Zero Two? But those were just numbers. It didn't make any sense!

 _If she is Zero Two, then I'm Hiro? But who is Hiro? Why is her name just two numbers? Why has she never accidentally called me Hiro, but instead 'darling'? Was that how she referred to Hiro? So... they were lovers? But what would that matter? How does my momma know them? I've never once heard these names except out of Zakura and I…_

For some reason, even amidst the the deep confusion that Aihiko continued to struggle with, everything _fit._ It made sense on a level he didn't feel he was ready to accept. Her words had only brought about more and more questions, and the only person he was asking was himself. Why hadn't he just had his mother explain further about what she meant?

His exhausted mind required relief from all the mental turmoil and theories he had come up with.

Finally breaking free from his thoughts and clearing his vision, he had come to realize where he was at last. His pink haired childhood friend had fallen asleep on the hospital bed in front of him, her fingers still intertwined with his. He had never let her hand go, not once, that whole time she was being admitted and treated. She needed him to feel safe, and he made sure she never felt otherwise.

Looking around the room, he realized he was alone with Zakura, his mother was nowhere to be found. She had probably left for work since it was well into the evening, or maybe went to get some food from the crappy cafeteria? Either way, she wasn't around, and he felt content knowing his honey was well taken care of, and being monitored by professionals.

'She will recover just fine', he recalled a doctor saying earlier that evening.

 _I sure hope so. Until she does, I'm staying right here. Nobody is taking me away._

Aihiko took the girl's hand and lifted it to his lips, where he planted a sweet kiss on it. He gave the beanie-less girl a loving smile before sitting himself forward on his chair, and laying his head on her bed. He made sure not to let go of her delicate little hand as he drifted off to sleep, his mind once again racing to figure out what his mother had left unsaid.

* * *

Chapter Six - **Singled Out / So MUcH COnFusiOn**

 _ **(Well at long last, here is Chapter 6. I have at last had my motivation return to me and I find joy in writing this story once again. However, in order to avoid getting burnt out, I have decided to make sure to take ample breaks whenever I come across a hiccup, which is why this chapter took some time to come out - even though it is quite average in length.**_

 _ **Fun fact: Chapter 4, 5, and 6 as I've written them were originally planned to be a single chapter! :0**_

 _ **That's right! Mentally I had all of these events planned out to be a single, extremely long chapter. But I decided against it, as most of my other chapters were around 5000-ish words, and I knew my readers would love to have more. So I think the story as I had planned, will end up consisting of mostly chapters of this size, coming out maybe two or three times a week to keep you all interested. Occasionally, more detail intensive chapters like 5, may take a few extra days to write to ensure everything is done well. Chapter wise, if I stick to my upload schedule, may end up being around 20 chapters. Give or take a bit, I'll map out what I want to write in each one, and provide an estimate when possible.**_

 ** _Also, something I've wanted to try in order to reply to the feedback I've been receiving: I will quickly answer your comments or questions, making sure not to spoil too much, in a short Q &A style at the end of each chapter, following this one. Thought it might be a good way to interact with my audience. Let me know if you think it's a good idea!_**

 ** _First off, as a general statement to everyone who had provided me with input on doing things at my own pace, thank you. I really do appreciate the patience. I was just going through a strange dry spell where I felt a bit burnt out. But I'm all good now, and I plan to put out some good chapters soon, trust me, everything is just picking up! ;)_**

* * *

 **MiniPrinny: "I love how you've been slowly integrating Hiro and Zero Two into Hiko and Zakura and their shared shock that Hiko isn't a hybrid yet was amusing. Although I think it's clear to the audience that Hiko is becoming one in this chapter. And is there some borrowed ideas from "Mastermind in the FranXX" I see? ... this is up there with the stories I'd be all too happy to consider as the true fanon."**

 ** _Yes, the idea for them to occasionally be "possessed" by Hiro and Zero Two came to me as a way to sort of show how deeply rooted their connection is. Along with how Zero Two strangled Zakura, it is a way to show that they aren't just spiritual connection, and they do have a physical influence as well. As for Hiko becoming a hybrid, well it's going to be a bumpy ride. Human and klaxo sapien puberty at the same time? Ooh boy. As for the ideas from Mastermind in the FranXX, you'd be correct. I love Olcon's story to death, and it has inspired this story in more ways than one. Where as he took a non-canon rewrite into his hands, I wished to extend on the canon, although to be honest, I myself am not... entirely pleased with what we were given. I apologize if it seems as if I'm stealing ideas from his story, as it wasn't my intention. And being considered this as the true fanon? Wow that's... incredible. I'm surprised I've gotten the level of positive feedback I have, and damn does it feel good to know my audience loves my writing. I seriously never thought writing would be my forte, yet here we are._**

* * *

 **derpslurp: "Well looks like Aihiko/Hiro is gonna be skipping school for a couple days now."**

 _ **Indeed. School is going to take a backseat for a bit here, as they have more important things to deal with. It's also a nice change of character for Hiko, as originally he only cares about studying and school, and his thoughts are now centered upon Zakura and her well being. He has shifted from the studious, emotionless private school boy, to a true companion to Zakura.**_

* * *

 **TrL4w: "... I also noticed inspiration with Olcon's Zero Two thoughts depiction, it works really well in this story as well. Idea of Hiro and Zero Two taking over them for brief moments, is really clever, thus giving reasonable cause of Hiko's 'saurification' and can lead to interesting situations in the future."**

 ** _To expand upon what I explained before, about Olcon's inspiration: from what I understand, Zero Two's thoughts are a sort of gauge on her klaxosaur nature, where she has highs and lows. Here, I try to use the same style of explaining Zakura's thoughts, but more so in the way that when she's ogling his looks or getting nervous or stressed, it shows in a sort of flustered thought pattern. They are teens after all, and get flustered or emotional quite easily. In this chapter, you may have noticed someone else taking on more of Olcon's style, and that is entirely intentional. As for Hiko's saurification, there is quite a lot to explain surrounding it and Zakura's as well. She has stated she wasn't always this way, so I do hope that it has piqued some curiosity as to how exactly they are changing with seemingly no stimuli outside of being reincarnations. Speaking of, my original idea was exactly that, they become hybrids because of their connections to Zero Two and Hiro, but it just seemed too... silly? Spirits wouldn't be able to change genetics after all, but then again, consuming dog blood wouldn't make you half dog so... *shrugs*_**

* * *

 **Laserbr0: "... What is your update schedule? Do you need a beta for spelling or grammatical errors?"**

 _ **My update schedule is... sort of at my own pace. I'm making sure my brain is properly rested and working before I write, and if I ever have a dry spell, I take a break that could range from a few hours to an entire day. As for needing someone to spell check and what not, I have a few friends that go over things with me and discuss problems with the narrative and how to solve them if need be. I appreciate the offer though. :)**_

* * *

 _ **And that about wraps up the things I felt I should respond to. Keep the comments and good reviews coming, ultimately, they are what keeps motivating me to come back and keep writing. After all, writing a story for my own satisfaction isn't exactly as... interesting as sharing it with people online. So thank you all for over 2200 views! Seriously, I never thought I'd get more than about 1000 over the lifetime of the story. 2200 by Chapter 6 is... outstanding. Well, I hope you all enjoyed, and until chapter 7, Ride on my darlings~!**_

 _ **-Chloie Elizabeth, aka IotaIntheFRANXX)**_


	7. My Motivation, Reincarnations

"I think it would be beneficial for the two of you."

* * *

How could he not remember that? He might have only been six at the time, but that's plenty old enough to form proper memories.

It was on a special trip with his parents that he met her, or rather she met him. Momma and Poppa were both around at the time, about ten years ago, when they had pooled together enough funds to spend the day there.

That place… that beautiful, golden glowing city. How had he forgotten his visit?

Center City. A well funded, large, high class expanse of land at the heart of the city of Strelitzia, where the richest could live and the not-so-fortunate could visit. It was quite advanced and cramped in comparison to the outskirts of Strelitzia, which were mostly natural and wide open, similar to a countryside. It was even home to its own climate and was self sufficient, never needing to even leave the dome that encloses the entire area.

It's name was quite literal, as Center City wasn't actually a subsection of Strelitzia itself. It was, in fact, its own city. A bit strange why it wasn't just the urban district, considering the entire dome-like land was surrounded by Strelitzia, which could be considered the suburbs in that case.

 _ **(Author's note: Think about a bullseye at the center of a target, and the surrounding ring being the City of Strelitzia. Have I said city enough yet? No? City. City. Ciiiity. Ci-ty. You're welcome.)**_

According to this old friend of his mother, the entire area was modeled after these things called 'Plantations', or rather the cities within them. Apparently, long before the Earth was even fertile, these 'Plantations' were basically giant mobile fortresses meant to protect the last of humanity, which was admittedly an extremely small population at the time.

Most everything was fueled by this revolutionary power source called magma energy. The entire Plantations ran off it. The electricity, the climate, the gardening and farming, you name it. It was so strange to hear of a life that sounded so completely different and interesting to their own, and it had only happened 216 years ago. It didn't seem at all long enough for an entire species to repopulate and construct a whole new way of life. Yet all he needed to do was to look around for proof.

Each thing he found out about only led to more and more questions. Why do we not use magma energy now? What happened that caused humanity to need to live in these fortresses? If everything was so advanced, how did the technology from then get lost in the transition to modern day? Most importantly, why was none of this taught in schools or books?

He was extremely well versed in anything he could study, but never once had he read about the strange apocalyptic society this woman spoke about.

* * *

All she had to do was give the boy a quick refresher, as she believed the rest would take its course. Or so she claimed. He hadn't the slightest clue what was going on regarding all of this hidden history.

Here they all were, the four of them heading to Center City. It was going to take an entire day or so according to the friend of his mother. His mind was still swamped with questions, but at least he wouldn't have to worry about school for some time.

He and Zakura had both gotten suspensions after what had happened about a week prior, by their separate schools, of course. His mother seemed like she hadn't been bothered by the news, because she knew it was for a good cause.

For her.

He turned his view to the girl sitting next to him on the ebony leather seats lining the interior of the vehicle. She had been almost silent ever since she had been discharged. The doctors had taken expert care of her, and although some bruising was present, she was able to walk on her own again, and no bones had been broken, so she had made a speedy recovery.

A deep purple ring surrounded the girl's left eye, a sick souvenir from her encounter with that boy at school. Her beautiful white skin was soiled by dark red, scabbed scrapes and cuts, some more healed than others. Her horns were no longer covered by her beanie, she had forgone it since their revelation. Maybe that was why she was silent? She held a grudge against him for showing them?

Hiko gently reached his left hand over to wrap around her right in a comforting manner. She didn't turn her head to look at him but her eyes moved in his direction. A slight smile crept across Zakura's face as she squeezed back and mouthed what he could tell as 'thank you'. She must have been a bit afraid of this stranger and the situation she was dragged into without much explanation.

The boy swallowed as he gave a cautious glance to the woman in charge of taking them to Center City for a short vacation. She had taken care of all of the expenses and transportation, even arranged for a hotel to house the family temporarily. It wasn't that he thought the woman was hiding things, but more so that she seemed to understand a lot more than someone should at her age.

Her appearance was that of a young woman, perhaps just out of college. In her twenties at the very most. Although that wouldn't line up at all if she and his mother had met about nine years ago. She probably was just an expert in terms of makeup, or even underwent some surgeries. She certainly had the funds to do so if she wanted.

The wavy brown-red hair and teal green eyes of hers gave her a very elegant and respectful, likable look. She almost always smiled and sometimes awkwardly stared at Hiko and his girlfriend. Albeit a bit creepy, she didn't seem to have any sort of ill intentions. Contrary to her status as a clearly wealthy woman, she did not seem to dress in an over the top manner. Whether this was to seem more relatable around the group of them, or if it was her standard attire, Hiko couldn't even begin to assume.

The woman wore a long, simple gray dress, which right under her ample bust, became darker, fading into black by the legs of the skirt. Black, thin pantyhose were clearly visible underneath the dress, and the thin slits running up the outside parts of the skirt allowed more movement and a better view on the garment. That about summed up her attire, it wasn't fancy or wild in any way, it was very down to earth and it complimented the kind lady's personality.

A small glimmer on her left hand caught Hiko's attention. He hadn't noticed before, but she was indeed wearing a ring on her left hand's fourth finger. A magnificent shining ruby adorned the silver and ivory ring. It was a stunning piece to look at it, and Hiko figured it was the only thing the woman wore that was even moderately expensive.

Her name had caught him off guard, as all he could think about was her watching over a bunch of children.

Nana.

Perhaps that is what she did for a living? Nah, she wouldn't have made it purely being a nanny, but she hadn't told the story of her wealth or the like, so all Hiko could do is guess.

What more was there to her? How did they meet? He was almost afraid to ask but his curiosity was intensely piqued.

His mother kept this 'friend' of hers under wrap for quite some time. He thought he and his mother were close, but maybe she too, kept things close to her chest. It wasn't like he wasn't without his secrets after all.

Contrary to his respectful and articulate nature, Aihiko always had trouble in social situations due to him cutting himself off from the world. Nervousness was hardly ever a thing he had experienced in short conversations, but now with all of these questions racing through his brain and the strange way he was being ripped from his own world, it was star of the show.

Aihiko gently moved himself towards his honey, and took a deep breath as he looked at Nana, serious yet anxious. They were going to spend hours together, he might as well have the woman explain some things to settle his brain. He knew she had answers, he just had to ask the right questions. But what to ask first…?

"Nana, how old are you?", Hiko broke the silence of all of the passengers, immediately regretting his choice of a question.

 _Fuck, why did I choose to ask her age before anything else?! She must think I'm so disrespect -_

"I stopped counting so long ago…", the red haired woman began, with a slight chuckle and a loving smile. She didn't seem at all phased by the question besides not knowing a proper answer. "...but well over two hundred…"

What? He heard that wrong, right? There's no way she could be over… two hundred years old. That's preposterous! If she was over two hundred, that meant that she was actually alive when Plantations were humanity's home! He had believed she was just passing information on.

"T-T-Two… hundred…?", the boy stammered in complete disbelief.

"That's right. I'm sure you have plenty of questions and I'm entirely willing to answer them. I just can't believe you two have finally returned. Everyone waited for years for you…"

A tear ran down the woman's face and she quickly snatched it from her cheek with her index finger.

"I suppose you aren't _truly_ them, since you'd most likely remember me, but at the very least, it's quite clear that you are made in their image."

Hiko put his arm around the pink haired girl's shoulder and pulled her close before popping another question.

"What do you mean, made in their image? Momma called us 'Hiro' and 'Zero Two', is that who you mean?"

Nana nodded quickly in response.

"Those are the ones. Those two… were unlike anything the world had ever seen. Truly special in every sense of the word. That's why I want you two to learn about them, their struggles, their achievements. I believe that you two are the second coming, so to speak."

The 'second coming' part made him feel as if this Hiro and Zero Two were something of legend. Something so incredible and influential that the world itself anticipated them. That didn't seem correct considering they were only teenagers. They weren't anything fantastical.

"Second coming?" Hiko inquired to the red haired woman. "I'm not sure I like that phrasing. It's as if you've been expecting us."

"Expecting would be the wrong phrase. _Hoping_ would fit much better. When those two headed off, we all knew it would take a long time for them to return to us… I guess we always sort of figured they would come back as themselves but…"

Come back as themselves? If Aihiko wasn't confused yet, he most certainly was now. The only reason they wouldn't have 'come back as themselves' is that they…

"They perished… early in their lives, didn't they?"

Nana sighed lightly and gave a gentle nod in confirmation.

"So by second coming… you mean that we are like their… reincarnations or something?"

The woman scratched the back of her head with nervous laughter, and then let out a soft sigh.

"I am not sure about that. Not entirely anyway, but Zakura clearly has the same exact features Zero Two had, which leads me to believe that they live on in you two in some way, shape, or form. Or at the very least, her."

Hiko turned his head to look at the red protrusions that the girl used to hide. He didn't see the big deal. Sure, most humans didn't have horns but they weren't extremely large and neither were her fangs. They stood out, but not so much as to cause people disgust. At least, not as far as he could imagine.

"I plan to explain everything to you two once we arrive," Nana began. "There is a lot to cover, and I suppose I can give you a run down here, but I believe that the impact will be greater once you understand the scale of the legacy they left behind."

The black haired teenager laid his head gently on his pink haired partner's and sighed. He would have to wait for answers, huh? Very well, it would all be worth the wait.

He felt as if he should mention the strange amount of knowledge he had of things, and the occasional visions he saw, but if he did, perhaps this woman would want to throw him in the loony bin.

"How come we aren't taught these things in school?", Zakura suddenly questioned with quite a serious look. Her jade green eyes sparkled with curiosity. "If this stuff is so important, don't you think we should learn about it?"

The answer to the girl's question seemed quite half-assed and not well thought out. Aihiko felt something was being hidden from them.

"These subjects are kept from the general public in order to not focus on the past. Civilization back then was vastly different, and in terms of quality of life, was much worse than we have now. We need to look to the future, and improving upon what we have inherited as humans."

Nana paused momentarily to take a sip of water and focus her thoughts.

"Originally, the plan was to scrap remains of the past to embrace the future in its entirety, but my husband and I… we couldn't let go of the past. We wanted to preserve it as best we could, and so Memorial Park was built, right in the heart of Center City, funded by the two of us. That park is a little piece of humanity's history, and that's where I wish to show and tell you everything about Hiro and Zero Two."

Hiko felt a sudden jolt in the back of his mind and shuddered at the feeling. It felt as if someone or something was… taking over him?

"You built us a memorial? I don't think we really deserved one."

Hiko's mother and Nana exchanged glances before glaring at the black haired boy with an altered composure.

"What did you say?", his mother spoke for the first time during the trip.

"The memorial. Zero Two and I didn't know what we were getting into. Especially myself… I only wanted her to return to normal so we could all live happily together… but when I realized there was no turning back, we accepted our set path. After all, there was nothing we could do but continue forward…"

Nothing could amount to the surprise on the red haired woman's face. She was practically staring at the boy, mouth agape, and pale as a ghost.

The black haired boy looked around at the interior of the vehicle. Why was everything so new and different? These weren't the transportation vehicles he was used to.

"Nana? Are you alright? Wait. Nana...? Nana! I'm back? I'm back! Wait, where is Zero T-"

"H-Hiro…?"

Nana swallowed hard and eyed the boy. He hadn't physically changed at all, but he was talking like he was someone else. The person he was the image of.

Hiko's mother was also in complete shock, her blue eyes wider than a human's ever should be. She found it hard to even breathe as she listened to her son speak like someone he wasn't.

"Of course it's me. I think," the boy started, cupping his chin and furrowing his brow as he tried to comprehend the situation. His eyes traveled the inside of the car and stopped on the pink haired girl sitting next to him. He threw both arms around her and hugged her as if they hadn't seen each other in years. "Zero Two!"

"Why do you keep calling me that?!", the girl suddenly yelled back in surprise, trying to push him off of her. "You know damn well my name is Zakura!"

"Z-Zakura…? What? But you look like…"

Nana interrupted him before he could finish his comment on the girl's appearance.

"Zero Two. She looks just like her, doesn't she… Hiro?"

The boy nodded and looked to the older woman.

"Identical… Nana, what the hell is going on…?"

Hiko's mother and the red haired woman exchanged glances once again in understanding of the situation. They didn't quite know how it happened or why, but clearly Hiro had taken control of Hiko to some extent.

"I'm not entirely sure. You and that boy are somehow linked together. If I had to guess, Zero Two must be linked to Zakura. Perhaps that's why they resemble Zero Two and yourself."

"'That boy'? What do you mean? I'm myself aren't I?"

The situation was getting wilder and wilder. He wasn't himself? He was linked to someone else? All of his questions and theories were multiplying like rabbits.

Hiko forced the feeling out of his mind and wriggled his way to the front in order to regain control. Something very strange was happening, and it seemed as if this woman knew - at least a bit - of what was going on. He would have to reveal these things he had been keeping secret, in order to receive more answers, and presumably, more questions as well.

Before Aihiko could say anything however, his honey spoke up, spilling her own secrets to Nana and his mother, in confidence that they would be able to help.

* * *

"I think I've spoken with her. Zero Two, I mean. I know it sounds ridiculous, but with everything going on, I might as well add my experience," Zakura blurted out with a start, sitting up straight in her seat, and shaking a bit. She was extremely nervous about sharing the information, but if not now, when would she be able to without sounding like she was insane?

"The night da - I mean, Aihiko, found me… I had this dream. Or what I believed to be a dream…" She looked over her company as she took a deep breath. "Those bruises from being strangled? They weren't from a street brawl. I'm not entirely sure how it happened - and I'm not crazy, I swear it! But she… that look alike, Zero Two… she told me about a promise she made to her darling, and when I said I wanted nothing to do with whatever she was saying, she got really upset."

Zakura gently placed her hand under her scarf and massaged her throat where remnants of the bruising remained. Most of the pain and hoarseness had faded, but there were little bits that lingered.

The black haired boy seemed to have returned to himself as he watched her rub her neck.

"She strangled you…?", he suddenly asked, his tone of voice full of concern.

"Sort of," she replied, still worried she would sound crazy explaining _how_ she was strangled. "It wasn't like out in the street or whatever… It was in that dream of mine. I thought it was just the voices in my head and I was only imagining things. Anyway, she got upset and… actually started to strangle me. I could actually feel her cold hands squeezing the life from me, and that's when I realized it was more than some fantasy."

"So when you were choking in your sleep -"

"I wasn't choking. I was… somehow being strangled through… my dream…" The teenager looked at the astonished faces surrounding her. They didn't believe her, did they? She sounded crazy!

"That doesn't sound like Zero Two. She had violent tendencies, but she turned a new leaf after that battle… I wouldn't say she became more docile, but less violent for sure," Nana commented. She looked surprised, but not in disbelief at the situation, but the behavior of this 'dream' Zero Two.

Zakura quickly shook her head in disagreement.

"She wasn't immediately violent. She wanted me to take her to her darling. Only when I said no did she get upset. And even as she strangled me, she looked… sad. Like she didn't want to do it. I think it was a last resort since I didn't want to help her. I don't think she had evil intentions." She smiled and took Hiko's hand in hers, looking to Nana and Hiko's mother happily.

"I believe she only wished to reunite with her darling, wherever he was, and I think, with everything going on between us… that Hiko is the one she is looking for. Or rather Hiro, who has some connection to him. It makes sense, right?"

The black haired boy nodded in agreement. He must have thought she had the train of thought he had, of what was actually happening. He squeezed her hand gently and looked over at Nana to see what her opinion was.

"It does make sense. In short, you two were meant to be together, just as Hiro and Zero Two were. Reincarnations isn't such a far fetched idea. Though how they are able to interact and speak through you two is a mystery of its own…"

Hiko's mother didn't seem too happy with the results of the conversation, as she became a bit red in the cheeks and rapidly looked between the teenagers sitting in the seats opposing her own.

"Meant to be together? Th-they're just friends! R-right? Nana, tell me that -"

Zakura swiftly cut off the woman to explain the extent of their relationship.

"We are... sort of… unofficially dating. I think. If we are to be the 'new' Zero Two and Hiro, so to speak… then I believe it is fair that we follow in their footsteps and be in a relationship. Darling and I already have feelings for one another."

"Darling?!", Hiko's mother called out in shock. "Y-You're calling him darling? You just got back together a week ago!"

"Don't make this Zakura's fault, Momma," Hiko chimed in with a calming intent. "We just happened to fall in love that first night. I don't think either one of us properly acknowledged our feelings, but… we did… well, we kissed. We both felt it was sudden but it just…"

A slight blush dusted the boy's cheeks as he turned to her and she grinned, finishing his sentence. "... felt like it was right?"

"Yeah," the boy replied in almost a whisper.

They both giggled at their chemistry, causing the woman in the gray dress to smile, completely ecstatic by the pair's love. She watched as the two young lovers laughed and eventually settled into a sweet hug.

Hiko's mother continued to be apprehensive about her son falling in love with this pink punk, but seeing their affection for one another, decided to keep her comments to herself. She couldn't bring herself to step between her son and happiness.

"I guess I don't feel so bad about my feelings towards you anymore," Aihiko softly said to her as he held her body as close as he could. "I've been feeling so free and joyful since that first night. I can't explain everything I felt, but the best way I can is to say that I love you, Zakura… At first, I felt really hasty saying it, since we had just met… but now that I know we are meant for each other, I realize I really have loved you since I first met you."

"I've loved you since we first met too. After what happened as a child, and I lost my parents, I had no idea what I wanted. Or needed for that matter. I roamed the streets, scavenged for food and shelter, it was a horrible life. But one thing kept me going, and that was you."

"M-me? But I'm not -"

"I knew I had messed up. But you were my only friend. I felt like I could beg for your forgiveness and we could go back to being friends. I never stopped looking for you. I didn't know where you lived or what school you went to, but that never stopped me. I never forgot the times we shared under that tree… when you used to spit out my candies because they were too sweet for you… those memories we made pushed me to keep looking, no matter what."

Tears began to race down Aihiko's face as he listened to the girl's story.

"Even after the way I -", Hiko tried to ask. His lips were greeted by her index finger, shushing him instantly.

"I never blamed you for your words. I did act strangely, and I regretted what I did. I never meant to make you so upset. That's why I wanted to find you. I wanted to ask for you to forgive me so we could continue to be friends… you were all I had left. Being alone for so long just sort of broke me down I guess… I started fighting for my own good as well. But one thing remained certain all these years, is that I would find you."

She wiped the flowing tears from the boy's eyes and shot him a beautiful smile as she looked deep into those dark blue pupils of his.

"You found me first I guess, but that doesn't change the fact that I looked all over for you."

"But you ran from me when I told you my name," Aihiko countered. Zakura opened her mouth to explain his claim, but he seemed to figure out the answer himself. "It was pity, wasn't it? You hate being pitied. You knew you were in a horrible condition, and you didn't want me to see you that way. Is that it?"

She nodded slowly. He was catching on to her way of thinking. He was paying attention to everything she said and had said previously, and was starting to piece together the complex, enigmatic puzzle she was.

"Well either way," Hiko cupped the girl's face in his hands as he gazed back into her crimson pupils. "We are together now, and I forgive you. More than that, Zakura. I love you."

His face moved closer to hers and she met his lips halfway, sharing a kiss, without a care in the world about their two onlookers. Nothing mattered in those few moments except for themselves and their feelings. Their confession wasn't exactly private or thought out, they simply stated exactly what was on their minds, and to them, that was all they needed.

The boy's mother watched the tender kiss and let out a soft sigh. She had lost her innocent little boy to his first and presumably, only love. The apprehension soon turned to joy, indicated by the smile that formed on her face. She turned to view Nana's reaction, which was all too content. Her legs crossed and a few tears rolling down her face, she must have been hoping for this to happen for way too long.

* * *

The following hours leading to Center City were filled with stories about the two teenagers, and the lives they lead.

Zakura explained the voices in her head and how she had always assumed they were imaginary, up until she met Aihiko, where it finally occurred that they were indeed memories. Judging by the information the pair had been given by Nana, the memories belonged to a girl identical to her from over 200 years ago, named Zero Two.

Nana answered all of the teenager's questions without fail. They attempted to keep the inquiries to a minimum, as the woman did want to keep some things under wrap until it was time. As always, some questions, even when answered, only led to more questions. One such answer was one about Zakura's horns.

Hiko had wondered why she even had them, because she most certainly didn't have them as a child. She wouldn't magically become something she isn't.

Nana's explanation started with her own theory. She claimed that it was possibly due to the deep connection to Zero Two, though she was unsure how a spiritual connection could alter genetics. The theory was disputed by Hiko, as he clearly had a strong link to Hiro, but he had experienced nothing appearance-wise that Zakura had. Something else had to be in play, though without a constant in Aihiko, it was all just guesses.

According to a vague description of Zero Two's genetic composition, she was half human… and half of something neither of the teenagers had even heard of before - klaxo-sapien. Nana seemed to be tight lipped on the subject of whatever that was. However, she had indeed confirmed that Zakura had inherited the same physical features.

Hiko brought up the fact that he had never experienced these 'memories' in any form growing up, which was entirely contradictory to Zakura's experience. Up until they had reunited just about a week ago, nothing of the sort was ever part of Hiko's life. Besides the lack of emotions and friends, he had a fairly simple, straightforward life. Even now, he wasn't haunted by any static or voices or the like, although it seemed as though knowledge of his past life was seeping through.

He had spoken up about the drawings in his friend's notebook and how they invoked feelings and names from deep inside him. At first, he had believed it was due to his initial trip to Memorial Park when he was young, but once this new reincarnation detail came to light, he attributed the knowledge and feelings to being Hiro's.

It seemed quite apparent to Nana that each of their past beings' were influencing Aihiko and Zakura in very polar ways. Hiko seemed to be receiving feelings and knowledge in a very passive way, meanwhile Zakura was being influenced by Zero Two quite violently, almost forcefully. Neither of the methods seemed out of character for the corresponding past teenagers. Why they were taking drastically different approaches to affecting Hiko and Zakura however, was anyone's guess.

* * *

The painfully long transportation was finally at its end. Outside the clear windows on either side of the long, black car, a lively city with a glorious golden glow greeted its guests. Buildings and skyscrapers towered above the vehicle, as far as the eye could see. It was well into the night by the time the four have arrived, and the night sky only helped bright out the beauty of the urban area even more.

A hotel awaited the guests' arrival in the form of an extravagant 'room', fully furnished like a luxurious home, complete with a full kitchen, living and bathing room, and two bedrooms. If she wasn't already told that it was a hotel, Zakura would have assumed they had walked into an apartment, as it seemed much more akin to such.

Bedroom arrangements were purely up to the guests, as both bedrooms were home to large, king sized beds with ample room for two or three people each.

"You three can feel free to sleep in any room you like, and there is room service if you need it," Nana explained to the awestruck visitors.

Hiko turned his attention to the woman and tilted his head with curiosity.

"Aren't you going to be staying here as well?", the boy inquired.

"Oh no, I have my own home, not too far from here. Plus, I'm sure my husband would become a bit worried if I didn't return."

"That makes sense. By the way, Nana, what's your husband's name? You haven't talked about him much," Hiko asked with just as much genuine curiosity as his first question.

The red haired woman smiled and looked down to her ruby ring and smiled endearingly as she replied.

"His name is Hachi."

"Hachi…?"

Zakura watched as a figurative light bulb seemed to go off in his head. He chuckled lightly and wagged his finger knowingly at Nana.

"Ohhh I get it now! I kept thinking of 'nana' as in like a caretaker of children, but now I understand! Your name is 'Nana' as in the number seven. His name is 'Hachi' as in the number eight! Why did you get your names through numbers?"

"The questions were for the car ride, Hiko. You'll understand tomorrow," her reply was met with a somewhat annoyed expression from the boy.

"As for Tomoko, do you wish to join me so we may catch up?"

Hiko's mother nodded with a smile, eyeing the two teenagers.

"But what about these two? Surely we can't…"

"Leave them alone? Nonsense. From what I understand, your Aihiko is quite a gentleman. I'm sure they'll be alright for an hour by themselves."

"But I'm not sure -"

The woman's son waved his hand in a shoo-ing manner.

"We will be fine. Go ahead, momma. You have nothing to worry about," he assured, turning to view Zakura who had found a comfortable spot in a chair and fallen asleep. "See? We are both tired, we'll probably just go to sleep."

Tomoko gave her son a nervous look before sighing in understanding.

"You're right. I trust you, dear. Be good for me."

"Of course, momma. Have fun."

Just as soon as they arrived, Nana and Hiko's mother headed out to catch up privately. Aihiko waved them off and began unpacking his things and what little Zakura had of her own, but was caught off guard by a seductive giggle a minute in.

"Good cover, momma's boy~", she uttered softly into his ear. "Now we are…"

She leaned her entire body into his back, making sure the teenage boy could feel the whole of her torso as she lowered her voice to a sultry whisper.

"...all _alone~_ ," she made sure to emphasize her point to him. She wished to arouse him thoroughly, which she was aware she could too all too easily, cemented by his response of biting his lip and shivering. Just a bit of teasing for tonight before bed, to make him beg for more.

"Z-Zakura…?! I th-thought you w-were asleep…!", Hiko cried out in surprise, his face lighting up crimson.

"No, of course not. It was only so they would leave us together," she replied, almost blowing into his right ear with her whispers. She wondered what the two could get up to tonight now that she was able to function as an individual. "Shh, just come with me, darling~"

She swiftly swiped the boy's hand and yanked him away from the luggage to lead him into one of the two bedrooms. Practically tossing him into the room, he stumbled in shock to the floor of the room, and to add pressure, the girl shot him a devilish smile as she closed the door behind her - and twisted the lock.

He was right where she wanted him, alone and caught off guard, the perfect prey for playtime.

"W-Wait a second, Z-Zakura…!"

"Ah-ah…!", she warned, lifting her index finger as she cocked her head slightly. "When we are together, we use _those_ names."

The cornered teenager bit his lip and swallowed nervously on the floor as she approached. He attempted to regain his composure in any way, sitting up and eventually trying to stand. His knees were weak and shaking, and try as he might, his flustered look only proved to her that he wasn't prepared for this one-on-one.

"S-Sorry… um… honey…", he corrected himself.

The pink haired girl scoffed as she took residence on the edge of the incredibly soft and giving mattress.

"Better, but don't worry, _darling_. I'll make sure to _ease you in_ …"

Her innuendo hit its mark as she heard his heart jump and double in speed with her enhanced auditory senses.

 _That's right. Get that excitement going, little boy._

"E-Ease me i-in…? W-what are you…?", he began seriously stumbling over the words he spewed out in the presence of his attractive girlfriend.

"Come up here, darling. I won't bite," she beckoned, much softer and soothing than her seductive voice from moments ago.

The boy nodded and slowly but surely made his way onto his feet, and tried to face Zakura with what little confidence he had in these types of situations. He was greeted by smooth, bare thighs from both sides pressing around his waist, and delicate, warm fingers which pulled him into her soft, ample boobs. Her seductive, jade green eyes towered over him as she stuck her tongue out from the side of her mouth. She observed his reaction as one hand found its way to his neck, and the other, the side of his face.

His head was smushed between two delectable cushions, just forcefully enough for him to be able to hear his honey's pounding heart. Although her goal was to tease the boy, she couldn't help but feel some arousing emotions well up inside herself as well. A very faint, gentle blush surfaced on her cheeks as she continued to eye her darling.

"Honey…", Hiko softly started as he placed his left hand on her thin, silky smooth thigh, biting his lip momentarily at the feeling of touching her skin. "...you're really t-turning me on…"

That was surprising. Zakura had never expected him to be so blunt in stating how he felt about the teasing. It was a pleasant change of pace, and was taken even further by his actions. Hiko turned himself ninety degrees to his right to face the teenage girl, and steadily straightened his back to plant a kiss on her lips.

Her retaliation was immediate, as her hands pulled him back for a second, and then third kiss, each one more passionate and longer lasting than the previous one. Both of their hearts raced and pounded in sync. Romantic feelings began to flourish as the two locked gazes and their chests rose and fell, paced properly by their shallow breaths.

"I… really, really like you… you and that… beautiful body of yours," he commented quietly, breathing hotly on her lips.

"I really like you too, darling…", she replied, not daring to break their eye contact. "I know you've already seen all of me, but… do you want to see it again…?"

The temptation of her statement rendered the boy powerless against his logical judgement. They had an hour all to themselves, and the pair now wanted nothing more than to explore their feelings for one another.

He gradually gave her a nod to confirm.

She placed a cute kiss on his nose before removing the scarf covering her neck, followed by undoing her gray tie and tossing both accessories onto the pillows at the head of the wooden bedframe. Zakura had already unzipped her blazer, and was left with it and two garments protecting his nervous eyes from her skin.

Without breaking their eye contact, she gave the boy an alluring smirk while she undid each of the buttons keeping her grayish blouse closed. Once that was taken care of, she proceeded to remove her bra by unhooking it in the back and expertly slipping it off underneath the blazer and blouse that still remained covering her torso a bit. Again, it was tossed with the scarf and tie up by the pillows.

Hiko licked his lips and instinctively began to roll the jacket and shirt off of his honey, exposing her shoulders and the whole of her upper body. Both of their faces began to glow a bit red, especially as he broke their staring to admire her skin and curves.

"Wow… even though I've already seen it once, I can't help but gawk. You're just so gorgeous."

A sudden breeze from below caught the seductress off guard, prompting her to gasp and avert her gaze between her legs.

"D-Darling…?", she whimpered, blinking in surprise at his forwardness. The boy had removed her panties and begun sliding them down her thighs.

"I'm sorry, Za - I mean, honey. I can't help myself… but I sort of don't know what I'm doing…"

He glanced down at the pale pink panties in his hands, still wrapped around her long, curvaceous thighs. They were the same shade of pink as her hair, which he found quite cute.

"I'm j-just… following my instincts… if you know what I m-mean…"

Her delicate arms wrapped around his neck and planted themselves on his shoulders as she smiled captivatingly. Her thighs followed suit, wrapping around his waist and trapping him where he stood.

He raised his head partially and met her jade green orbs with his own icy blues as he looked up through his black bangs. For a few seconds, they just enjoyed each other's company, frozen as they were, save for their increasingly heavy and hot breaths warming the air between them.

She was only planning on teasing a bit, but in just a minute or so, things had escalated well past that point, and she was well aware there was no going back. That lustful look the boy had from their first nude encounter was not present now, and it was replaced with a genuine, romantically inclined curiosity to explore. Who was she to turn him down?

"It's okay," Zakura murmured gently to her darling, before placing a kiss on his lips. "I understand. I'll guide you through it…"

* * *

Chapter Seven - **My Motivation / Reincarnations**

 ** _(This was certainly a chapter I had a lot of difficulty writing. Not that I wasn't sure what to write, but that I wasn't sure how to pace the events. On one hand, I could write entire conversations and drag on the story to be long winded, but I could also do what I ended up deciding to do - condense things we already know, so that it doesn't seem droning and obnoxious. For that reason, the pacing of the chapter may seem sort of... up and down? Like smooth and then rough? I'm not sure, it's hard to put into words, but if the pacing fluctuates, just know its because I decided to edit the scenes to condense them. It also was a bit rough to write a large majority of the chapter into conversations, and to be honest, it bored me a bit. I sort of wanted to get to the point, but also wanted to have some character interaction. It took me a few days to write the talking in the car purely because I had to keep taking breaks to ensure that the quality of my writing and the personalities of the characters came through properly._**

 ** _Edit: 3300 VIEWS?! YOU DARLINGS ARE FANTASTIC!_**

 ** _Now that's taken care of, onto the Q &A!_**

* * *

 **derpslurp: "I really like this story. I wonder how Zakura/Zero Two is going to react to having her horns exposed. Will she be mad or not? How will she react to HORN-y Hiko/Hiro?"**

 _ **One of the things I decided to edit out of this Chapter was actually what happened after Hiko fell asleep, including her reaction to him showing her horns. In short, she wasn't very happy at first, and the doctors treated her a bit cautiously. She held a small grudge because of this, which is why she wasn't talking much. As for how she will react once she realizes he is saurifying... well that's for me to know, and you to find out~.**_

* * *

 **TrL4w: "... Let me take a wild guess, Nana and Hachi are going to show up? So you planted 'Ichigo' into the story, meaning there is a possibility of entire squad meeting again..."**

 _ **Ding, ding, ding! Good guess! Hiko's mother met Nana years ago, where she commented that Hiko reminded her of a young Hiro. As for Ichigo, I'm honestly surprised nobody has picked up on the clues I've been dropping. Or at least nobody who has commented. Perri is actually a descendant of Ichigo, as are a few of the other characters. I never wanted to incorporate reincarnations of the entirety of Squad 13 because that would defeat the special nature of Hir02's relationship. What is more likely, is that a few descendants have made it through the generations to show up here. Also, I hope you enjoyed the bit of Hir02 I added in place of the droning exposition ;)**_

* * *

 **starburst98: "What's the deal with Jinx and Juju?"**

 _ ***clears throat* Red hair and purple eyes. Constantly fighting. If you are referring to their behavior, they just think Hiko is attractive and are trying to get closer to him. THOTS if you will, lmao**_

* * *

 **Sk3lingt0n: "...Will their spirits interfere more and they'll learn about their past selves from them, or will they eventually completely merge with their current physical forms and regain memories of their past lives? Or something in between? What about their transformation? How did Zakura get that abnormal yellow blood cell count and klax genes? How and why did Aihiko start transforming?"**

 _ **Alright, well that's a lot to ask, but I'll do my best to tackle each one. One, their spirits will indeed interfere more, but it will remain sporadic and sudden. As for the merging... well, I feel that I can't confirm or deny any theories regarding what will happen, so feel free to comment your ideas, I'd love to hear them! However, they will learn about their past lives through Nana and Memorial Park for the most part. Two, about their transformations, I'm not sure everyone is going to like my explanation on it. It's shifted a bit since the conception of this story, and it may seem like a cop out to a happy ending for some people. I'll make sure to give more details - and my thought process of how I came to the current reasoning - in the future since I don't want to reveal it just yet. To be as vague as possible, just as Hiro's catalyst for changing was Zero Two, Hiko's was Zakura. All will be explained in due time~.**_

* * *

 **anon: "... Also is there a place to see you post progress reports or other types of info to know what is going on?"  
**

 _ **My answer before this chapter would actually be no, as I don't tend to post on social media or any networks that anyone could follow. However, seeing as how a lot of people probably would like to know what's going on with me and my writing, I would like to direct you to my Twitter, where I will start posting occasionally. You're also welcome to chat with me there, and talk with me personally if you'd like. I sort of only have a Twitter account for following people, but due to the amount of questions I receive, I would like to re-purpose it to be a fun place for Darling in the Franxx fans, and the like. Ignore like all of my previous tweets cuz I hardly used Twitter in the past few months... but just search '**_ ** _IotaIntheFRANXX' cuz Fanfiction doesn't let me link. You'll know it's me._**

* * *

 ** _Edit 2/3: I wanted to share the pictures that inspired the scene between Hiko and Zakura but I found out I can't post links so... look for them on my Twitter instead._**

 ** _As always, thank you all so, so much for the support you all are showing me, and I apologize for the chapter taking over a week to write. I'll try and get the next one out a little faster. Ride on my darlings~!_**

 ** _-Chloie Elizabeth, aka IotaIntheFRANXX)_**


	8. Darling in the Future

_**CHAPTER 8 IS REAL MY DARLINGS! (with a catch)**_

 _ **You might realize that this chapter is pretty short compared to how long you've been waiting for this - well, there's a reason behind that and it's because I'm a dumbass. I normally use Word to keep my stories, but you know, you're supposed to hit the save button. I may have forgotten to do that. And my computer crashed, making me lose about 8k words from this chapter. Obviously, in addition to setting me back, it also made me almost want to drop the project entirely. Luckily, somewhere along the lines, I got the inspiration to write, write, write. And so I have been.**_

 _ **You all have been waiting so nicely for almost an entire month for this, and to show you, that YES I'm still working, here is the first half/third of Chapter 8. It's a work in progress and should be fully updated in a day or two, so check back then for the full thing if you'd like. Some of you would probably prefer that I release the whole thing at once, but oh well. This mistake shouldn't happen again, as all my chapters here on will be backed up.**_

 _ **With that being said, I'll tackle the questions from Chapter 7 once everything is done. I'm doing much better and I'm back in the groove of things, so expect the next chapters to come out once a week if all goes well? Again, things are uncertain and I don't want to set due dates for myself or I'll get stressed and procrastinate.**_

 _ **I was planning on finishing the scene I was currently writing, but as of typing this, I'm extremely exhausted and need a break, but I wanted to post something for you all. So... here it is. Enjoy it, hopefully. I know a lot of you were craving the events about to unfold with ZaHiko, and you'll hopefully be happy with the outcome.**_

 _ **Edit 1: Over 8500 views! I love you all, and to commemorate the occasion, I now have a Discord server! It isn't only for those who want to talk about my fic, you're welcome to game together and talk about anime and life, what have you. I just want it to be a hangout place for my fans, so enjoy. The perma code for the server is:**_ ** _sjbbuph_**

 ** _Feel free to join up if you'd like, but you certainly aren't obligated. Also, please enjoy the updated Chapter 8~!_**

* * *

 ** _Edit 2: Chapter 8 is COMPLETE! 12,000 views in, many days and hours in, and it's finally done. One small tweak happened, which was that the latter half of 8 is getting moved to its own chapter. Subsequently, Chapter 9 is becoming 10, etc. There were two reasons this was done, one was to get 8 out as soon as possible, and the second was that where I had stopped writing just felt like a good place to leave off. That being said, 9 should be following up in the next week or two, considering it won't nearly be the monstrosity that 8 was, so look forward to it!_**

 ** _Please enjoy the entirety of Chapter 8! Also, apologies, no Q &A this time, as I feel the story has answered most of the concerns._**

 ** _Edit 3: All of the bonuses will be added to their own "story" so they don't conflict with the chapter flow. Sorry if everything is a bit confusing ;P_**

* * *

What was he doing? Why was he so… aroused all of a sudden? He had some form of self control in the past, whether it was his logic or force of will. But now… now, she had offered herself to him.

Her torso was now bare and those round, squeezable mounds were teasing him, much more so than when he saw her completely naked. He hadn't the slightest clue why, but seeing her half nude was so much more erotic than just laying eyes on her skin… Perhaps the action of removing her clothes set him off?

Something was different. As much as he genuinely longed for a romantic, and possibly sexual relationship, being in Zakura's presence had… inexplicably changed. It was almost like something primal, deep within him was seeping through the cracks of his psyche, forcing logic and reason to the side. He could almost imagine a little devil on his shoulder, encouraging him to give in to lust.

"Fuck her! Fuck her hard! Tear off her clothes and ravage her body! She wants you deep inside her body, so why not give it to her? Come on, you know you want to!", the little thing would be calling out.

"You sure that's okay, honey…?", he inquired with an innocent tone, unsure if the two should venture farther.

"Of course. I can tell you're curious and… I… want to experience it with you, darling."

Darling. That word always sparked something inside him, like it was the most precious word in the universe. It caused his heart to skip a beat. Sometimes it caused him to become excited, other times relaxed and soothed. It was all about her tone and how it was delivered. This time? It was delectable, seductive. She was practically begging for him, even through her subtle vocal hints.

The whole time they conversed, his eyes had never left those gracious, angelic ones she had. His gaze became narrower, more sultry. Her response was in the form of an innocent, gentle bite of her bottom lip. Her slim eyebrows curved upwards as her head lowered, and she batted those luscious, long eyelashes as she blinked. She was begging, pleading for him to pounce.

Something had changed in those few moments. It was palpable. It was hard to grasp whatever had happened. She was still Zakura, of that there was no denying, but she wasn't _just_ Zakura. She was _his_ Zakura. She _belonged_ to him.

And he wanted to mark his territory.

A sultry chuckle from the boy broke the silence. His eyes lidded as he eyed his girl. "Let's get these annoying clothes out of the way, shall we?"

Her nervous swallowing of saliva was audible. Even though she was practically begging for sex, she still seemed somewhat uneasy about the situation. She bobbed her head up and down quickly in confirmation and began to remove her white collared shirt and blazer from her upper body. As she took them off, Hiko pulled her skirt and pink panties off her waist, carefully and methodically. The girl straightened her thin legs, assisting with the removal of her bottom garments.

Hiko took both pieces of clothing and walked backwards a few steps in order to pull them off. Once accomplished, he bundled them up and tossed them haphazardly to the ground.

Shoes and socks were quickly taken off, and finally… that beautiful slim girl that Hiko longed for had finally been revealed. Her face dusted with red, she managed a loving smile to her admirer.

Without noticing that a bit of saliva had escaped the confines of his mouth, Hiko let out a sly expression of approval as he examined the angel. "Mmm~"

Everything was on display, and she wasn't hiding anything. No modesty, no embarrassment aside from the slight blush on her cheeks. She knew she was a fine piece of work as far as her body, and she wasn't afraid to flaunt it.

Now, the question was what the next step should be. Perhaps a bit of counter teasing? Yes, that seemed appropriate. He wasn't entirely sure how to do so, but opted for a "leave more to be desired" type.

His hands lowered to the buttons on his own shirt, slowly and gradually. Her burning red pupils followed their every move, anticipation their actions.

Pop. One button down. Three to go.

He chuckled at her anxious gaze. He had no idea his chest was so… enticing.

Pop. Half of them down, half to go.

Her tiny hands actually began to shake and she started to reach towards him, reluctantly tugging on her wrists and pulling them back to her body repeatedly. The teasing was working.

Pop - pop! As he had undone the third button, she had forced herself forward and taken care of the final one. Her anticipation had gotten the better of her and she couldn't hold on any longer.

"There! Now… let me show you what comes after kissing~", she purred with a sexy little wink. With a grin, the boy tossed the shirt on the ground and lunged, pouncing on the naked girl sitting on the edge of the bed. She giggled and he licked his lips. Time for his meal, finally, after 200 years.

* * *

"It's a beautiful city, you know. Truly gorgeous. Sometimes I think about what would have happened if I stayed…"

"It wasn't wrong of you to leave. I, for one, don't blame you, especially for the good of your son." The red haired woman rubbed her temple with an annoyed and frustrated sigh as if what she was thinking was irritating her. "To think he would do that… it was… reckless, to put it delicately…"

"Kosei didn't even talk to me about it. It was like I didn't have a say in the matter… Like this whole new job rested upon the darn deal," the black haired woman exclaimed, with almost a heated passion for the discussion.

"I sincerely apologize for him. I'm sure there were good intentions, but…"

"But nothing, Nana! We could have lived here just fine, but he had to go and pull some stunt for his job. Sure he still pays child support, and it's not like I don't love him, but… AGH!"

Tomoko grabbed her hair and tugged gently to show her anger. Nana responded by wrapping her arm around her friend's shoulder and shushing her.

"Easy. Your son seems to be a fine young man. You have done nothing wrong. Let's change the subject…" Nana inhaled a deep breath before letting it back out with a sigh, knowing the conversation was going to be difficult to process for Tomoko. "...because I think it's about time I tell you some things…"

As she removed her hands from her locks and noticed a few strands come loose, Tomoko nodded. Anything was better than talking about that terrible time. Something was giving her the vibe that she wouldn't enjoy this new subject either, judging by Nana's expression. Perhaps it was personal?

"What is it…?"

"It's about Hiro and Zero Two. And subsequently… your son and Zakura…"

Tomoko swallowed what little saliva remained in her mouth. They were already venturing into the one subject that she didn't want to touch upon. Her son was raised respectfully and she felt she could trust him. Something seemed different since he brought home that girl, however. He had changed attitudes in some way. It was like there was her son and then this… vengeful, obsessive teenage boy. Unhealthy was one word she would use to describe it.

"Hiro… was Hiro obsessive? Violent?", the woman suddenly replied, wanting to test her hypothesis. Surely Nana could give her a reason as to why her son was acting this way. Why he had these… outbursts.

"No, I wouldn't say so. Even for Zero Two. He followed her, sure. He protected her the best he could. He cared a lot about her well being. I wouldn't say obsessive, but he was certainly in love, whether he knew it or not."

Damn. That theory was off the table. Hiro wasn't causing her little boy to become crazy. Was it her possibly? Had she done something to him? No, they had only just seen each other for the first time in years… Now wasn't the best time to get lost in her mind. She needed to focus and let Nana explain.

"I had a thought, but it doesn't matter now. Just tell me everything you can about them. I want to hear what you have to say."

"Of course. I hadn't gotten to explain the whole story to you before. Back in plantations, there was an outlaw on sexual material. Teachings and the like, anything regarding sex or puberty," Nana began to explain, still keeping slow pace with Tomoko as they traversed the city streets.

Sexual material? Where had this conversation gone in such a hurry? First it was about Hiro and Zero Two and then - oh no.

Tomoko's mind was flooded with chaotic thoughts. Her son and that girl were left alone in a hotel room. Who knows what they could be getting up to? She shouldn't have left! Her head whipped around to the building, her eyes wide in shock at her own mistake.

Her wrist was taken ahold of by Nana's as she fanned her right hand downwards. "Relax, Tomoko. Everything is fine."

 _Right, everything is fine. My son is back at a hotel with that… that seductress, and he's going to give in and have sex with her! Everything is a-okay!_

"This is about Hiro and Zero Two. Not those two. Not yet anyway. Just hear me out before you go sprinting back like some crazy woman," Nana pleaded with a smile.

"Right… right… I'm just… paranoid, I guess."

As the redhead began walking forward again, she pulled gently on her friend's hand in an attempt to coax her to follow. Very reluctantly, the woman being pulled turned herself and stayed close, biting her nails nervously.

"Go on…", Tomoko urged through the finger in her mouth.

"Hiro and Zero Two never received any… sexual education. The whole point of Squad 13 being an experiment was to see how the individuals would react to emotional stimuli without being educated on the matter. Dr. Werner Franxx wished for the squad to show heightened levels of emotions, and see how positively or negatively they impacted the squad as a whole."

"What does that have to do with -"

Nana continued her explanation, ignoring Tomoko's interruptions. "Even without education, the children often solved their own emotional issues amongst themselves. The largest one was Zero Two. She had first been introduced as a rival of sorts under my supervision. She was mischievous and free willed and often took off to do as she pleased. It was difficult to keep her in check. The doctor… allowed the behavior. If I had to guess, he actually planned on bringing them back together. Another one of his experiments. To see if their memories could be unlocked through their bond, but I digress. She became unofficial, and then official partners with 016, or Hiro. This caused serious tension between Squad 13 and her. She took most of it without a problem, shrugging off comments and the like. She had a reason to be there. For him. I'm still unsure if her behavior was in a vain attempt to unlock his memories, knowing he was her childhood friend, or if she was simply playing games with him."

"What a strange coincidence… childhood friends split apart only to learn to love each other. That's exactly what happened with Zakura and Hiko," the black haired woman commented, thinking hard about the similarities.

"Perhaps not. Those two were tightly wound together. You could almost say its fate that they met again in this life…"

Nana chuckled and smiled. She must have enjoyed seeing them back together after 200 years.

"Anyway… to wrap this up, she wasn't seen as a friendly figure until after Hiro revealed her soft side. It wasn't overnight, but she did manage to make herself a comfy spot in the squad. It was no longer only about him, but also her new friends."

"I'm not sure what you're trying to say, Nana."

"The point is that they solved their problems without having the answers. They worked together and learned from each other. Some problems… are easier solved than others. The two of them warmed up to each other in… affectionate ways. I'm sure they had these strange feelings for each other but never acted upon them. Regardless, they experienced genuine love. And that feeling triumphed so many obstacles in their path… ultimately leading to their deaths."

That word set Tomoko off. She began to tremble with fear. Was she implying that their love would lead to death? They were too young to die!

"I'm not saying that Hiko and Zakura will die."

Phew. Thank goodness she didn't mean that or otherwise, she would have run back to split the two up immediately.

"I'm saying that they were in love. And they've spent who knows how long in space. Dead or alive. Now that they have the ability to be together again… well… ultimately, Tomoko, they are teenagers. If you put together the influence of Hiro and Zero Two, puberty, and on top of that, klaxosaur hormones… Sex is bound to happen."

"H-h-he is so young! He can't have sex! I won't allow -"

"It isn't about allowing. If you try to stop their efforts, you'll only make them want it more. You can't stop them from eventually doing it, but what you can do is make sure that they are prepared."

"Prepared? For a child?!"

Nana sighed heavily and looked directly at her friend, her eyes serious and her composure unwavering.

"No, for the opposite. You can't stop them from having sex, but you can make sure they have _safe_ sex. Let them have their fun. It's a difficult concept, but they'll appreciate their freedom. Whether it is Zero Two and Hiro or Zakura and Hiko, they will find a way. So the best plan of action -"

"- is to prepare them for it. Make sure they have protection and… to let it happen naturally…?" Tomoko was surprised at Nana's stoic composure on the manner, even as she finished the woman's sentence for her. She was appalled that she had just suggested _letting them have sex._ How could she do that? No responsible adult would just let that happen…

"Precisely. I know it's such a strange thing to think about, to just let your son -"

"It's okay. You're right. I've never been restrictive with him before. I raised him to be proper, and think about his actions. If I give him the freedom to have sex on the condition that it is with protection _only…_ " Hiko's mother thought about what she was saying very carefully. If she gave him free reign of sexual actions, could he slip up one time? Would her wonderful little boy become some weird sexual deviant…? It was certainly a risk, but was it one she should take? "Nana, you're sure that this will be the right thing to do? They are only teenagers, maybe they won't take it that -"

She was met with a deadpan face, the older woman quite un-amused with her suggestion. The look she gave seemed to scream 'you really think that's the truth'?

"No, no you're absolutely right. Hiko hasn't had any experience with women, and now this girl has become his main focus in life. He's going to want to try things…"

Nana's deadpan expression became one of bittersweet approval as she nodded to her friend. "This is what I really wanted to talk to you about. Those two are bound to feel closer once they learn about their past lives. I wanted to prepare you for what may come."

"I'm prepared. I want him to be happy, he deserves it." Tomoko placed her hand over her heart with relieved sigh, smiling. "He… smiles around her. I haven't seen him smile or laugh in years… Hiko found something to live for, and I don't want to take that from him. If sex is what keeps him happy…" She inhaled sharply, taking a deep breath to ready herself for the acceptance of the proposal. "... then I'll let him have sex. As long as they have protection, that is."

"Good, because otherwise, we would have no reason to come here," Nana replied, holding her hand out to a small convenience store on the corner of the street. It seemed so new, or at least extremely well taken care of, and small, as far as buildings in Center City go. The convenience store was only one story, compared to the multiple stories of the houses and apartments towering around the two women.

The woman with layered black hair sighed, never thinking she would ever have to do this, but it was for the better of her son. She was entirely aware of what Nana had brought her there for - contraception. "What are we getting…?"

"Anything you think they will need. I recommend getting her steady on the pill, and making sure he has a stockpile of condoms."

"A _stockpile?!_ How many times -"

"No idea. It's best to be prepared. Don't you agree?"

"R-right. Let's do that then." With another deep breath, the two women headed into the store, hoping to find exactly what they were looking for. Luckily, everything was in stock. They received strange looks from the cashier as they checked out, to which Nana simply stated it was education.

Upon exiting, Tomoko's face had turned bright red from embarrassment. Nana seemed to find the blushing worth laughing at, since the way the woman had lowered her head in shame was all too like a teenager, but the laughter was cut short by a voice - a man's voice from the shadows.

"I see you have everything taken care of. Now then, I believe it is about time to talk about the most important issue." The man remained in the shadows, where the store's fluorescent golden lights couldn't reach. "It's been a while, Tomoko. Let's talk about Hiko's development."

Her eyes widened in surprise at the appearance of the man. How had he found her? Why did he have to show up now of all times? Her shock was apparent in her tone and speechlessness. "His… development…?"

* * *

"Mmmmm~ Darling~! Don't bite so hard!", she cried out with a mix of laughter and pleasure. Her hands were already gripping her eager partner's back, her nails digging deep into his skin. The action only seemed to turn him on more, regardless of how hard her grip remained. His playful growling was subtly muffled by his mouthful of her right breast, his lidded eyes gazing up at her, making her feel that much hotter and needy. He certainly wasn't holding back any longer, and his bite wasn't gentle in the slightest. His teeth were just as deep in her skin as her nails were in his back.

Finally deciding to ease up a bit, Hiko slowly pulled his mouth away from his round snack, his coarse, wet tongue dragging along the bottom of it until only his lips remained at the most sensitive area, where he left a kiss. A grin spread across his face as she shivered and let out a heavy, hot, pleased breath. He wasn't done yet, her darling sucked on the thumb-sized pink tip - and pulled back, using his teeth gently to secure it in his mouth's grip. Zakura's red hue on her face deepened as she cried out with a genuine, sexy moan. As innocent as her partner was, he seemed to know just what she liked - being dominated. Strangely enough, she had felt like she left a dominant impression on him after all their time together, and besides this interaction, she could have sworn he was a bottom.

Releasing her captive nipple from his mouth, the black haired boy gazed down at her. She was well and excited at this point, her breaths were deep and almost labored. That sweet, loving smile of his only assured her that this was due to love and not lust.

"Not bad for our first time, huh, Zero Two?", the boy commented to her as he leaned over her torso, his face just a few inches from hers. "It feels weird using their bodies, but… it feels so right."

"Don't think about it, darling. We don't know how long we will have control. Just keep going~" She licked her lips, her pupils darting down their bodies before returning to his icy blue eyes. Her legs opened wide, she arched her lower back and shoved her hips up into his with all the force she had. She was begging him to finish what he started.

He shortened the gap between their faces, his lips just barely avoiding her own, and his voice lowered, becoming a sultry whisper. "And here I thought _you_ were going to be on top. What happened, _honey~?_ "

She gripped his head and pulled his lips into hers, shutting him up as her tongue entered his mouth, playing with his. It was so rough and sexy, so different from her own, and a _total_ turn on. Her soft moans were muffled by their melding lips and interacting tongues.

His hands lowered themselves from her chest to around her hips, pulling them up to his pants and teasing her entrance against the distended fabric. The feeling sent a euphoric spasm throughout her entire body. HOLY SHIT IT WAS SO _GOOD_! She wanted, no she _needed_ more. Fuck the consequences, it was now or never. She tore her face from his in need and groaned harshly.

"Darling…! I need you… just do it already…!", she grunted, her body trembling, and her face warm and bright red. He would crumble at her begging. He had to.

 _Please give in!_

She could see the need in his eyes. Darling was going to - ! Darling was finally going to do it with her! He was going to give in! His hot breaths doused her face with moisture, their gazes focused on one another. His adam's apple bounced in his throat as he swallowed nervously at the suggestion, and he inhaled sharply through his teeth.

"I can't… not without their permission, Zero Two… I'm sorry. I don't even know if they are able to see this… but I'll give you something, okay?" She whimpered pleadingly, and that grin reformed on his face as he saw just how much she wanted it. "Don't cry~ I'll still make you feel good, honey."

That tight grasp on life seemed to suddenly fade away. No! No! Darling was going to make her feel even better! Zero Two screamed at the relinquishing of control back to the body's true owner.

Zakura blinked a few times and looked at the position of their bodies in embarrassment. "D-Darling…? Is that you…? Or are you… Hiro?"

The way his eyes became more gentle and concerned, she was well aware that he had changed back too. They were starting to get in sync. "It's me, Zakura. It's Hiko." He planted a kiss on her nose and smiled.

They were finally back together. They weren't quite sure when exactly the other two had taken control, or if they had even meant to, but finally, the actual owners of their bodies were back, and wanted to pick up where they had left off.

"Do you want to keep going…?", he inquired with a blush on his face. "B-Because I wanna fuck you… so hard…" Just hearing those words was enough to send her over the edge.

"Yes~! Yes, keep going, darling! Please… pick up where he left off..!", she cried out, realizing just how similar her wants were to that of Zero Two.

Were they even different people? They were physically identical, and almost entirely mentally identical save for different memories and different darlings, but everything else was there. Their tastes, their wants, their needs, dislikes and likes… was she just Zero Two…? Did she even have an identity all her own, or was she simply ignoring the truth up until this point…?

Her thoughts were clouded momentarily as she tried to make sense of it all, but it didn't matter right now. Right now, her darling was alone with her, about to make love. The disruptive and disturbing thoughts were shoved to the back, locked away for later.

"I dunno~", Hiko murmured with a sing-song tone. "You don't look ready to handle me just yet. How about I just…" Without ever breaking eye contact, the boy had brought one hand down to her most sensitive region and began rubbing, waiting coyly for a facial response. She dug her canines into her bottom lip and squinted her eyes shut at the feeling bursting from below. It wasn't what she was craving, but she would be damned if it didn't feel good!

"Hmhmhmhm~ What an absolutely delectable little response, honey!", he exclaimed as her eyebrows furled upwards in a fit of pleasure. His hand delved a tad deeper and began to venture inside, tickling and probing experimentally. Soft whimpers followed the actions of his fingers, right until he got to one small spot - which caused her to arch her back and almost scream with an unknown and surprisingly strong amount of pleasure.

" _Oh my god! YES!_ Right _there_!", Zakura moaned in complete ecstasy. How could one tiny, itty bitty spot destroy her self control? It was ludicrous, but _so fucking good!_ "Again! _Again!_ "

She begged him for more until he gave in with a grin, teasing that one spot until her entire body spasmed, her lower parts bursting open and flooding the bed like a dam. Her sighs and moans continued for the better part of a minute until Hiko helped her quiet down with a sweet kiss. The pair exchanged kisses and saliva for some time, enjoying how close they had actually become.

* * *

Once the kissing session was over with, the once submissive pink haired angel used her surprising strength to change positions with him. The sudden change in dominance was appalling, but a bit of a turn on. With all the teasing she did, Hiko was honestly surprised she hadn't taken the lead earlier. Especially after claiming she would teach _him_ how it's done. Seems he managed to instinctually surpass the teacher.

Her right index finger dragged down the length of his chest in a seductive manner, her back straight, and her chest still rising and falling with heated breaths, showing off her body in a teasing manner. She had straddled his waist, and if he hadn't had shorts keeping _it_ secure, he'd surely be rubbing against that soft, round cushion of an ass. She was quite excited still, even though a few minutes had passed; he could tell from the moisture seeping into his pants, directly between those two thin, long thighs.

"So… you gave me a present, how about I give _you_ one now, darling~?" Her left pinky found purchase on her bottom lip, dragging it down ever-so-slightly as she gazed at him, her jade eyes narrowed and playful. How could he turn down such a delightfully pleasant offer?

"What did you have in mind, honey?", he replied with an almost innocent, unknowing tone of voice.

"I think it's only fair to make you feel how I felt, _d a r - l i ng~_ "

The way she emphasized that word and dragged each syllable on… she might as well have had tied him to the bed and ground her entire body along his. Just two syllables annihilated his teenage hormones, sent them into overdrive, made him want to bend her over… and no, no, no… Calm, he had to remain in control. This was a delicate situation, he had to remain in control of his willpower.

 _Easy, Aihiko… If you do what your body wants, there will be consequences. Limit yourself for right now or you'll regret it later._

Just as the boy went to respond, a sudden wash of cold air between his legs had made him quite aware that he was now buck naked, just as she had been for some time. While he was busy talking to himself, she had slipped both his pants and black boxers down to his knees, giving her an incredible bird's eye view of what her hips had ground against earlier. Hiko certainly hadn't been one to care for it's length or size or whatever other guys his age talked about, but judging by the look on Zakura's face, she found it a satisfying size.

"I-is it a-adequate…?", the boy croaked, blushing fiercely from her dominance and facial expression. He was truly curious to know what her thoughts were for some reason.

Holy shit. That disgusting, devilish, dragged out grin she gave as her eyes transitioned from it to him and then back again - she wasn't only in control, she was loving it. And not just her position, but _it._ Her wet, excited tongue rolled over her lips in the most sexual way they possibly could. No way. She wasn't going to - was she?!

"What's that look for~? It's so lewd, darling. Almost like you're…" Her right hand gently teased his perineum, rubbing the soft skin with such expertise. He didn't even know that area was a pleasure spot, but _holy hell_ it blew his little fucking teenager mind. "... _expecting_ something."

 _Damn straight I'm expecting something now you little seductress…! Come on, show me what you can do!_

He suddenly turned mute. How was he meant to respond to this situation?! He could say he was expecting something but maybe that wasn't what she was planning…! His mind screamed innocence and confusion, but his mind - his mind had devolved into a chaotic mess of scenarios of hearing that sexy, pink haired, perfect skinned, jade green eyed beauty cry out his name. The things he wanted to do to her! The things he wanted _her_ to do to _him_!

His control was lost amongst the thoughts. He truly became a libidinous teenage boy in those few moments. Her body, her voice, her… _virginity_ , was all he wanted.

He wanted to be the one to steal that from her. No, not just steal it, _obliterate_ it. He wanted to vandalize her,

destroy her,

ravage her,

 _decimate_ her!

All of her! Her body, her mind, her soul. Taint it, paint it so deep with his colors that she will never want or need anyone else. He was her's. She was his. That's how it would stay!

His deep azure pupils flashed with a deep desire for the hybrid girl, his chest rose and fell with heavy breaths as his blush deepened, eagerly awaiting her next move. She must have noticed his increase in lust, as she bent forward, squashing her breasts deep into his stomach, and - _holy hell_ \- dragging them along his torso until her face was at his. Her voice was soft and sultry, and sweet like candy. "Beg for me. Beg, darling, beg~"

 _HOLY SHIT. HOLY FUCKING SHIT._

If he hadn't spent years completely devoid of emotions, growing up perverted like his fellow male classmates, he might have completely exploded at her demand. Luckily, he had quite enough willpower to resist, but she had him on the edge. If she even attempted to… lower herself, there would be nothing he could do. Everything would be for nothing. His brain screamed no, but his body… his body screamed yes!

His breaths were labored and heated, and he ready to give in to her command. "Honey," he ground out harshly. "Dominate me! Make me your personal toy, I want you to show me what you can do~ Guide me through this, please! _Please_!"

Her coy little giggle was a signed contract. He asked for it, he was going to receive. "Good boy, dahlin~" Her tongue flicked against his chin and she sighed in pleasure at the destructive taste. That's when he realized - she wasn't just destroying his control, he was destroying hers in equal measure.

Her head lowered to his collarbone and provided a hot, wet kiss before dragging her soft tongue up his shoulder and then followed his artery with feline grace. His eyes were not on her head however, as her rounded behind was in the air, swaying back and forth, and below that, between her legs… she was dripping onto him.

Drip. Drip. Drip. Lick. Lick. Drip. Lick.

Hiko grit his teeth and held on as damn long as he possibly could, not just so he wouldn't explode, but so he could experience this act of dominance longer. His body heat climbed and climbed, along with his heart rate and blood pressure.

 _HOLD ON, HOLD ON, HOLD ON, YOU CAN DO IT!_

Zakura pulled herself straight for a moment, she was panting just as heavily as lustful as he was. This wasn't good. All she had to do was… no, no, no. He could control it…! Her legs back pedalled…

 _Oh no..._

 _..._ she lowered her hips with a soft swaying motion...

 _BAD BAD BAD…!_

...and stroked it - the entire length - with her hot, soaked womanhood, arriving at the tip, her hips angled perfectly down at his erect - and now thoroughly wet - member.

 _FUCK! THIS IS BAD!_

His eyes widened. This was worst case scenario. He thought he would be lucky to receive her hand or hell, even her mouth there. But now, she was practically giving herself to him. Hiko's libido was forced away to reveal his reasoning, and he was scared shitless at the opportunity given to him. Not only was he wasn't expecting this, it was completely unacceptable at this stage in their relationship! This had been taken too far!

Too late. She had already aligned herself and lowered onto him, covering the top half in tight, warm, wet euphoria. Her nearly deafening, echoing sigh of pleasure was almost enough to force him to shoot inside her right then and there. He whimpered as he grasped the very last string of control that remained. He tried to act, but the world was spinning, his body was hot and needy, and the way she moaned as she brought herself down his staff, descending more and more… he was spreading her wide, and she was forcing him so damn deep…!

 _SPEAK UP DAMMIT! NOW BEFORE YOU DO SOMETHING YOU REGRET!_

After a harsh groan, Hiko mustered all of the strength he could possibly gather in his body and gripped her arms, which had found purchase around his waist. He squeezes as tight as he could and inhaled deep.

"Z-Zakura…!", he wheezed as loud as his lungs would allow. Her hips seized all movement.

 _Oh thank fucking goodness…_

"Yes... darling~?", she mewled, her chest still heaving from her heavy breaths. Small droplets of sweat had formed around her face and belly especially. He had her attention. He had to say it, right now, or so help him, he was about to make a terrible mistake.

"We can't… do this…! Not only… are we moving too fast…! But… neither of us… have protection…! This isn't acceptable…!"

He could almost see the poor girl's heart drop right then. She looked like her heart was just broken. He swallowed nervously, returning his grip on her hands to a more gentle, calming one. "I still love you… so much, honey… but… this needs to wait. At the very least, I want to be responsible… when I have sex with you."

"But I'm already -", she attempted to protest.

"I know…", he panted, relieved that he stopped her. "...so was I… but if I… I can't… please… just give me a bit… and then… remove yourself, and we can talk about this…"

"I just wanted to make you… feel good…", she seemed like she was on the verge of tears.

"You did," he reassured sweetly. "You did more than I ever thought you would… but there are lots of reasons as to why we should wait. So… be patient with me. Okay?"

She leaned over slowly as to not rock the boat. She planted a soft kiss on his lips that was returned with a romantic urgency. "I will… Thank you."

Thank you? Why was she thanking him? He just stopped before the climax…

"Why are you thanking me? I didn't -"

"You… See more in me than just a sex tool." Her words were like knives scraping across his skin. What did that all mean? It seemed like she was trying to imply - wait… those guys that wanted to touch her, when they first met up again. Perhaps that's what she meant.

"Of course I do… what kind of prick would only see you for your body and not your beautiful heart, my honey?"

"..."

Her silence was deafening, it gave Hiko a terrible, wrenching feeling in his gut but he couldn't quite figure out what it meant.

* * *

Deep down, she knew quite well that he deserved to know. He _should_ know. But she wasn't quite ready to say anything regarding it just yet. She decided to keep her mouth shut, and bring it up at a later date, once she was more comfortable with it all.

The boy gave her an extremely concerned look, like if she didn't say something, he was going to pry until she did. She didn't want to bring anything to his attention or stress him in any way, especially after the outburst at school that had them both suspended.

"I'm okay, my darling~", she said, trying her best to put his mind at rest with her tone of voice and confidence. The comment seemed to make him that much more anxious about it, and he was no dumbass; he knew she wasn't. Still, it seemed as though he had backed off as he let out a soft sigh and averted his eyes from her face. She would definitely come back to the topic, without a doubt. It was just going to have a pin in it until the right time is all…

In silence, the two lovers changed positions, settling into a gentle hug under the covers. His right hand delicately running down her pale pink locks, the other wrapped gently around her waist. Zakura had intertwined their legs, and nestled her face into the crook of her partner's neck.

The silence was finally broken by his gentle voice. "Hey, Zakura? There's something I should tell you."

"Hmm…? What is it…?", she replied groggily, half taken by sleep's embrace. He was just so, so, so comfy, she couldn't resist resting her eyes.

"Well, you were out for a day or two while you were recovering. Some uh, some things happened while you were resting."

"Yeah…? Like what?" She kept her responses brief to allow herself more time inhaling his new scent. Something about it was strangely delicious, yet dangerous and alluring. It was almost… _addicting_ , too. Clearly something in his chemistry was changing, and she was unable to get her fill. It seemed like almost every second, it got slightly stronger, slightly rougher, slightly more… _masculine._ She already knew darling was a boy, but this smell, this ever-growing-stronger scent of his, it appealed to an undiscovered side of herself. It screamed one thing, and one thing only, as it was speaking to her.

 _Male._

Accepting the strange smelling of his neck as if it was normal behavior, Aihiko continued his explanation. "Well… I guess I should just start at the beginning. I talked with Momma about those people she mentioned, Hiro and Zero Two. I figured she would be able to explain some stuff since my mind was a mess about it."

Half listening, and half focused on this new peculiar feeling and smell, the pink haired sweetheart responded in soft grunts towards his retelling.

"Well, she wouldn't give me any direct answers, unfortunately. She just kept saying she knew someone that would be able to help us. I guess she was referring to that Nana lady that picked us up. Anyway, because I didn't want anything like that to happen to you again, I told her that I wanted to transfer schools so I could always be around," Hiko revealed.

This caught her attention. Her mannerisms stopped in their tracks as she paid extra close attention. _He's going to go to the same school as me? Wait, doesn't he go to some prestigious private school or something…? Nonononono he's going to throw away his life… or-or what if he finds out that everyone hates me? Darling is going to actually hurt people… more people than just that guy who was wailing on me!_

"- but Momma insisted I stay in my own school. I did get a scholarship after all," the boy continued, oblivious to his partner's internal conflict. "I told her I wanted to be around you all the time, especially if you've got nasty bullies at your school. Besides, I can always go to a trade school or something after I graduate, so it's really not a big deal." Hiko shrugged off any problems this might cause.

Zakura had enough. She wouldn't allow this to happen. Snapping up into a sitting position, she immediately tried to convince him otherwise, "No, darling! Don't-!"

"AND." He halted her comment in an instant, joining her position while supporting himself with his free hand. "This is _my_ choice. Not yours. So don't worry, okay? It will all work out, promise." He flashed her a confident grin, melting away her concerns on the topic.

Knowing there was no changing his mind, Zakura decided to withdraw from altering his choice. She had no influence on the matter, and as much as she held doubt, a part of her was equally comforted by his decision.

She soon found herself drawn into an everlasting gaze with his frigid blue eyes. Their cold fire burning back at her, warming and chilling her senses all at once. This was the first time since the incident that she had gotten to _really_ inspect his eyes. She thought she had imagined it in her dazed state, but she was not mistaken. Hiko's pupils had indeed taken on a bluish hue, a deep, dark, deceitful blue. Even with this change alone, Zakura could tell - for certain now - that something was happening below the surface of her darling. Something… that both frightened and aroused her.

"Momma already gave me the go ahead on it anyway. She was hard to convince, you know. I think she knew that I'd do pretty much anything for you, and just gave up." Hiko chuckled and scratched the back of his head nervously, closing his eyes in tandem. They then shot open with a start. "Oh! Zakura!"

"Y-yes?" She was caught off guard by the sudden shift in tone in his voice, and had no idea what to expect next. Lots of things happened while she was out, it seemed.

"This nice lady showed up at the hospital and tried to see you. Claimed she was your guardian or something? I dunno, she seemed suspicious, so I didn't wanna let her close to you."

Zakura's heart dropped. _What? Why would_ she _visit me? She knows I hate when she acts like a mother hen… I can care for myself, dammit._

His face twisted ever so slightly in confusion. Shit, he knew. Her widened eyes and silence made her an open book to his piercing eyes. "You know her, don't you? Why didn't you mention her before?"

After a deep breath and regaining her composure, Zakura responded, almost coldly. "I'm never at home. Why would I know her, let alone talk about her?" _Damn woman, showing up now. I told her to let me do as I please._

"Well, she seemed quite concerned for your well being, so Momma talked to her. Apparently she is a teacher at your school, and she helped a lot with getting me transferred. By the time our suspensions are over, everything should be cleared. Isn't that great?"

She managed a very brief, faint smile as she absorbed the flow of information. "Y-yeah. I can't wait to go to school with you… but…"

"But what, honey?"

"You didn't have to show my… horns… that way you know. I don't exactly like advertising them."

"Momma deserved to know. Especially now that you'll be living with us. Besides, the doctors would have made you take off your beanie sooner or later."

"Yeah… I guess so but…"

"But nothing. You have nothing to worry about with me here, okay?" That reassuring, confident smile of his returned, giving comfort to her entire being. "And, just so you know…" His arms pulled her closer to his face and he quickly placed his lips upon one of the red forms. "I like them. Because they are a part of you, Zakura. You shouldn't be afraid of showing them. They're unique."

She felt her entire face burn red hot like a star. She was lost for words, for a response of any kind. Her brain sputtered to a complete halt. One simple comment paralyzed all of her motor functions in one fell swoop. Her body went limp in an instant, melting into a puddle from the kiss. "Da… da… dah…", were the only words she could muster, flustered as she was.

Hiko began to chuckle, then guffawed at her embarrassment. "I had no idea my honey could get so flustered!"

As if it were even possible, Zakura's blush grew an even deeper shade of red. "Sh-shut up…" Her hands found their way to his cheeks and lowered his head until his brow was level with her lips, and gave a gentle kiss to his forehead. Now it was his face's turn to flush. "I love you…", she sheepishly mumbled through his layered locks.

"I love you too, honey…", he responded, equally embarrassed, and just as soft. His hand on her head lowered slowly and deliberately to her waist, pulling her as close as possible. Almost at eye level with each other, Zakura tilted her head down to compensate for the positional difference between the two. Their eyes met once more, his face burning with matching bashfulness. Her horns met with his forehead, pressing gently into his flesh where - if he had any - his horns would be.

Zakura was quickly jolted from the serenity of the moment as an electrifyingly warm and comforting sensation pulsed throughout her body. It was as if she connected to him on the deepest level, like she could feel every fiber of his being all at once. The dam broke with a loud sigh of pleasure.

* * *

"I cannot _believe_ he had the nerve to show up here, _now_ of all times!" The raging mother practically threw open the hotel room without a care. In hindsight, perhaps having them meet again after these few years wasn't exactly the best idea. Getting Tomoko calm was the current concern, and as hysterical as she was, Nana was extremely relieved she spent the extra money and bought a stronger whiskey.

"Simmer down, Tomoko. Take a seat and I'll get the glasses for the alcohol…", Nana persuaded.

"No! My son is turning into the same _thing_ that she is! I mean, wasn't that supposed to happen _years_ ago?! This is absurd! If someone does not start explaining all of this to me _right now_ , I am going to get pissed off! And Nana…", the woman swiveled on her heels and pointed dramatically towards her friend. "You know that I am not a nice person when I'm angry!"

"Tomoko. Relax. Take a seat, let's talk about this over some whiskey. Like old times." Nana was quite aware she was losing Tomoko to her temper. "Please…", she begged.

Tomoko nearly growled with frustration, clenching her fists and releasing an aggravated breath from her tense form. "In a minute," she hissed. "I have to go check on the damn kids in heat."

 _Knowing those two, being left alone has lead to…_ Nana swallowed the lump in her throat. She needed to get Tomoko relaxed, tout suite. Just as Tomoko began her advance on the room with the closed door, the redhead rushed to cut her off. Both hands placed firmly on the tense woman, she looked her straight in the eyes. "Tomoko. Listen, there is no sound coming from their room. They are sleeping. We are going to relax and drink."

"That's no indication that-" Tomoko had no chance to counter her. She found herself lifted from her feet and plopped onto the couch without any warning.

Nana leaned into her shocked friend's face, her own dark and foreboding as she spoke. "You are going. To. Re - lax. Now stay while I pour us some glasses."

"O-okay…", the mother stammered in surprise, taken aback by the sudden seriousness.

"Karuizawa, 52 Years," Nana commented as she pulled the cork on the bottle and poured a heavy serving into a glass before handing it to Tomoko. "It's extremely expensive, very rare, and highly potent. Good stuff, if I say so myself." _If Tomoko is anything like I remember, two or three glasses of this and she will be out like a light._ "It's a lovely, delicious blend of cocoa and vanilla."

Following a gentle sip of the drink she had been served, Tomoko nodded approvingly. "Mmm, you're right. It's quite rich, too."

Nana observed her eyes averting the bedroom, and cleared her throat to bring attention back to herself. "This is one on one time, Tomoko. Sit back, put your feet up, and talk to me." She soon found herself taking her own advice, seating herself an arm's length from Hiko's mother, and taking a swig of the whiskey she had praised. "Perfect."

Tomoko, however, was still not relaxed. She sat on the edge of her seat, figuratively and literally, and narrowed her eyes at the woman next to her. "Nana. I need to know…"

"Hm?"

"Does this mean that the arrangement is still in effect?"

* * *

The following morning, Hiko could feel her gentle warmth quite literally suffocating him. Her cat-like embrace had clearly adjusted position during the night. She was no longer laying face down across his chest, he was now face first in _her's_. Luxurious pillows were now gently encompassing his entire head. Needless to say, aside from the suffocation, he was very comfy.

Despite how pleasant the feeling may have been, there was much to do that day. Nana had planned them all a trip to Memorial Park the day after they had arrived, so they would need to be prepared, which they, quite clearly, were not. Unfortunately, he would have to wake the sleeping beauty on top of him.

Filtered light from outside caused his eyelids to slip open, followed by his mouth with a wide yawn. Instead of air, a mouthful of creamy, soft skin found itself in his mouth, accompanied by a mumbling moan. The shock from the interaction made her dig her nails deep into his head, and his body to spasm slightly. Hiko's knee contacted her most sensitive part as he struggled. Still asleep, and possibly dreaming, she cried out, "Darling, not there!"

Hiko felt his blood flow in two different directions, to the surface of his cheeks, and even more down south. Releasing her breast, he quickly ran his options through his mind. He needed to wake her up right away, but how? Just as he was about to shake her awake, a strange thought crossed his mind. What if he…?

With tremendous effort - her grip was incredible! - Hiko was able to wriggle his way from her arms and legs, leaving her entire sleeping body at his mercy. After laying her tenderly onto the bed beside him, he crawled on top, eyeing her face before lowering to his target. He was curious why she enjoyed it so much… Lowering his face to her exposed neck, his tongue flicked out, and with a curious roughness, dragged it along her artery, all the way up to her rounded jaw.

 _Holy. Shit._ His eyes shot open with bewilderment. She tasted so… sweet. There were so many faint nuances of flavor that he couldn't even describe it, other than an amalgamation of sugary symphonies. Each subtle note was another explosion on his tongue, lasting for only milliseconds at a time, creating a melody of confectionary complexities. _I had no idea…_ Azure pupils flashed to life as he returned for a second taste. He opened his mouth this time, placing it on the crook of Zakura's neck and kissed with a pleasured groan.

Everything was so strong, yet so faint at the same time, almost as if his sense of taste was not fully developed yet. It made no sense. His head spun as he took it all in regardless. Each lick had recoil, slowly but surely building pressure in his forehead like a migraine. Continuing while ignoring the rhythmic throbbing, he savored each taste like it was the last meal he would ever receive.

Soft, sleeping breaths from her lips had become erotic groans. Hiko could feel sharp eyes watching him as he kissed and sucked on her neck. A sultry, playful voice came from just above him. "What are you doing, dar-ling~?"

His entire body froze as the pressure condensed into two distinct points. What was he doing? Why was he licking her like a lollipop? Quickly gaining his composure, his lips collided with hers. "Just waking you up, ho-ney~", he replied, quickly dodging her inquiry. "I had no idea you tasted so… yummy."

"Why thank you… but I thought you didn't like the licking?", she sneered, her eyebrows arched in surprise.

He couldn't help his face from flushing even further. "That… was before I knew how sweet you tasted…" He averted his eyes in embarrassment, and just as quickly snapped them back as a mocking smirk formed on her face. "Oh shush you." He leaned their foreheads together, not breaking the gaze between them as he smiled. "Now I understand you even more. I love you."

"Thank you," her voice sounded almost relieved. "I love you too, darling." Lips parted and melded as they shared a sweet morning kiss, their eyes sparkling with young love.

* * *

Ba-dump. Ba-dump. The throbbing was endless. It was more of a nuisance than it was painful, but bothersome nonetheless. He rubbed the two spots that seemed to be pounding, but even gentle massages of the area didn't seem to help. He'd have to deal until it went away.

"Darling? You alright?", Zakura called, out of concern from the open bedroom door. Her face was painted with worry as she poked her head in, brushing her soft pink hair. His focus, however was her choice of clothing. She had thrown on one of his t-shirts, a simple gray one, which was comically large for her small body. Just beneath the hem of the shirt, a pair of white panties were showing.

"Yeah, just a slight headache, I suppose," he commented with a shrug, trying to chase away some of her worry. "Why are you wearing my shirt by the way?" He gestured to her upper body with his finger.

"Isn't this a normal thing? For boyfriend and girlfriend to share clothes?"

How the hell would he know? He never had a girlfriend before. Those green eyes of hers were round and filled with expectation, like a kitty waiting for a treat. _Dammit she's so cute and innocent! I can't bring myself to tell her not to wear that…_

"Well, I… wouldn't know… but uh… we need to get ready for when Nana comes to pick us up," he blurted out in a hurry, changing the subject. "Plus… I don't think Momma is going to be too thrilled to see you wearing my shirt… especially when you're only in your underwear."

The girl observed her choice of attire before shrugging without a care. "I don't see what the big deal is."

"You're half naked," he commented deadpan. "If Momma saw you, there'd be hell to pay. Mainly for you."

"Speaking of, where is your mom? Did she even come home last night?"

"I think so… She's probably sleeping in the other bedroom. I'll go check." He made his way around her as she brushed her hair. Knocking on the bedroom door yielded no results. "Momma?", he called out softly as he inched the door open. Blankets were rising and falling on the bed. She must have had a late night with Nana. With a firm, but gentle shake, Hiko whispered to her once again. "Momma? Are you okay?"

His mother stirred from her slumber. Just as her eyes opened, she flinched and covered them with the palm of her hand. "Hiko…? I'm fine… but would you mind keeping your voice down…?", she groaned. "And turn the lights off… they're killing my eyes."

"Momma… I'm whispering. And the light is… the sun. I can't turn off the sun," he chuckled. His mother was completely hungover, and hilariously so. "Come on, you have to get up and sober before Nana comes to take us on the trip."

The woman nearly growled in frustration. "Who do you think got me drunk in the first place…?"

* * *

"Are you sure that the children are prepared to learn about this just yet?"

"To be honest, no. But it would benefit them both to be educated sooner or later. At least this way, if damage control becomes an issue, everyone is here for support," Nana responded to her husband, with ominous sincerity. She truly had no idea how much Hiko and Zakura knew of their past lives, or how much influence the information would have on their mental states. "Plus, there's no way for us to tell just how close they are to merging, or if it will even happen. There's a lot of variables in the air right now."

"Sounds to me like he's gone and screwed the pooch again, as it were. I can't believe we raised that cynical child," the tall man stated, matching her strides towards the hotel room. Stoic and serious as always, that man. Even after over 200 years with Hachi, he still managed to retain a mysterious, deadpan persona. She'd hoped by now that the mask would have broken more, but he was a hard nut to crack.

"He needed us. What were we supposed to do?"

"Leave him for dead," Hachi retorted coldy.

Nana shuddered. She was aware he could be frigid, but sometimes it was difficult to discern between his attempts at comedy and sharp, witty factuality. This time was no different, she was unable to determine which direction the pendulum had swung. Even as cynical and eccentric as the boy had become, Hachi had overstepped his bounds by wishing death upon him.

"That's going too far, even for you," she grimaced, shock and worry lining her voice. "Why would you even think about that?" She was going to require an answer for this one.

His sharp, analytical eyes froze on her face for numerous seconds as he formulated a response. "I apologize for my comment. I simply do not wish for history to repeat itself, and I'll be damned if I'm an accomplice of any kind."

"We aren't accomplices," she snapped. "We only raised him. What he does on his own is none of our business, Hachi." Just as she had finished speaking, they had arrived at their destination. Met by a standard sized ebony door, trimmed with gold, she gestured to the tall man, letting him know that the conversation should be addressed later. Nana took a calming deep breath and ordered in a shushed tone, "Later."

Following a brief, rhythmic knock on the door, it creaked open with a start. A pair of weary, blue eyes revealed themselves from behind the structure. "Hello…?", a voice croaked.

 _Oops, perhaps a bit too much alcohol for her._

"You look like death, Tomoko."

The eyes narrowed, piercing holes through Nana begrudgingly. "I wonder who's to blame for that…"

* * *

 _I hate this. I hate being hungover. My head won't stop throbbing…_

Through her light blocking digits, Tomoko glared at the redhead. She was just sitting there, holding his hand, nonchalantly. As if she hadn't done a single thing wrong. If her head wasn't already pounding from pain from near lethal amounts of whiskey, she would be speaking virulent words to the devilish woman.

 _Thanks, you alcoholic wench. I can barely hear my own thoughts._

Her son was next on her mind. Just because someone had interfered the previous night, didn't mean that she wouldn't be having a private conversation with him later. She observed the young couple's behavior, as the pink haired nymphomaniac sat upon her son's lap. The way she batted her lashes at him, the way she giggled when he wrapped his arms around her, that GOD DAMN WAY she smiled at him!

 _I'm watching you very closely, girl. Keep those hands above the waist._ If it were even possible for the pressure in her skull to grow, her veins would have popped long ago. _This car ride is taking way too long. Ugh… this day can't come to an end quick enough._

"STOP THE DAMN CAR!", she shrieked, unable to stop her stomach from lurching any longer.

* * *

"This is it," the wavy red haired woman announced, her arms spread wide to either side in a grandiose manner. "Memorial Park. The heart of Center City."

"This is so beautiful," Aihiko commented, his vision jumping between the lush greenery, tall trees, and the towering, building sized robots. The mechs were nearly picture perfect, their details reflecting his girlfriend's drawings down to each accent of color. The sight was surreal, like Zakura had engrained their images and forms into her brain. How was she able to do that without seeing them in the first place? _Guess it has something to do with that other person connected to her or whatever…_

Memorial Park was so much more welcoming and serene than he had initially imagined it. As a glorified graveyard, he expected a much more solemn, suffocating atmosphere, yet being here in person was an entirely different experience.

The soft, short breezes, the leaves dancing across the concrete, the reassuring, radiating rays of sunshine peeking through the tree branches, each and every factor leant itself to the serenity of the scene. Nothing could possibly rival this one single sight, not ever.

He went to squeeze Zakura's hand, only to find that she was missing from his side. Turning frantically in the entrance to the area, he scoured his surroundings for any sign of the girl. Hiko nearly called out for her, only stopping himself as he received a sign - her voice.

"Delphinium."

His head swiveled in the direction of the person speaking, and promptly trotted over to her side as she gazed up, almost in a friendly manner, at the statuesque figure. Confident, strong, and commanding, the humanoid shape stood tall and proud, accented with white and periwinkle blue. The name matched what she had drawn in her notebook, as did the appearance. Something was definitely off here.

His curiosity at her behaviour could no longer be contained. "Zakura, have you seen these things before?" He desperately hoped she had an answer.

"Nope. Never," she freely commented, never breaking her skyward line of sight. "But… I feel like I have. Like deja vu, you know?" She placed her palm onto the plaque seated at the feet of the figure, which was engraved with three separate names. "Don't you feel the same way?"

Unfortunately, he didn't. The names of the drawings were crystal clear, but being face to face with what he could imagine was the real deal, he felt no such connection. Nevertheless, he didn't wish to make her feel alone or nervous. Approaching from her right, the boy grabbed her free hand gently and smiled reassuringly. "Yeah. Deja vu."

The nearby forms of Nana, Hachi, and Hiko's mother had taken refuge under a pink dogwood tree, which was brightly blooming in the springtime sun. He could hear his mother's incessant complaints, and Nana's jeering remarks from where he was.

"Well go on then, you're their guide," he heard Hachi say.

Nana then responded with a snarky, "They seem to be doing just fine by themselves," before giving in and heading in the two's direction.

"Excuse me, may I see?", he asked his partner, gently lifting her hand covering the sleek plaque in front of them. With a soft smile, her hand retreated, allowing him to read the contents of the glassed panel.

* * *

 **Code: 015 - Ichigo**

 **Code: 056 - Goro**

* * *

 **This Pair's Franxx is:**

 **Delphinium**

* * *

 **Strong and Confident leaders of Squad 13 and the human race**

 **Credited with leading the battle for humanity's freedom and fight for survival**

* * *

"Ichigo and Goro." He raised his head from the plate with a thankful grin, aimed at the statues of the deceased, which were placed heroically beneath the hulking mech overlooking the park. Their pinkies bound by a small band from what it looked like, the forms were sculpted detailed and lifelike. The smiles framing the pair's faces emanated tranquility and joy. He couldn't help but reflect the feelings back at the motionless objects. Firmly and lovingly, Hiko gave his own partner's hand a squeeze, stepping close enough for her to lean her head onto his shoulder.

"I don't understand much of any of this, but everything is beautiful."

"Just like you, honey." Their eyes relaxed into a closed state as he rested his head on her's. Nothing could ruin this moment. The ebb and flow of life itself seemed to run through the very veins of this park. A place of beautiful endings, and magnificent new beginnings.

* * *

Chapter Eight - **Darling in the Future**


	9. Piecing the Past, Together

_**The Legend continues! HELLO AGAIN DARLINGS! Wow it has been a long time since I've been active here at all. The year is 2020 and Iota has finally published another chapter after months of waiting. Actually it's been over a year. Either way, I had most of this done and it's just been sitting around waiting for me to finish it off. Got a little motivation in my system, so here's a piece to entice people back. Chapter 10 is in the works and will be coming soon as well, but I really wanted to get this out to let you all know I'm back! So, without further ado, enjoy Chapter 9 and the suspense it brings (hopefully)!**_

* * *

"Here," an outstretched hand slid a few photos across the table, having them arrive in front of the intended recipient. "These two are going to be guests in Center City soon. I want you to keep an eye on them, but stay out of sight at all costs. Got it?"

The exasperated, rolling eyes of the recipient are accompanied by a not-so-subtle scoff. "Yeah, sure." The irritation in the reply didn't seem to bother the benefactor in the slightest.

"..." The boss watched the eyes of the coworker suddenly sparkle with curiosity and intrigue as they glossed over the photo.

The eyes shot up, and narrowed, almost as if seeing through the details of the job. "...the girl - she's got horns. What's going on here?"

"You'll see soon enough. Just lay low for a bit. Stay out of the public eye until I give you permission. We don't need to cause any trouble prematurely."

"Hmph. I practically live in a dusty old basement. I don't think the public will be seeing me anytime soon," a simple rearward pointing gesture focused attention on large mechanical doors. "Especially with the experimental phases these guys are going through. Either way, I expect a proper explanation of this. Sooner rather than later would be nice." Rhythmically, frustrated fingers tapped the photos on the table.

"You'll be filled in soon enough." The client's hand waved dismissively at their junior. "The ball is in our court, so to speak. Now… we just need to play nice; if you're even capable of that. Please don't disappoint-"

"Oh. I see what's going on here. These two are another experiment of yours, aren't they? Typical. You're always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong. I really shouldn't be shocked."

"They weren't intended to be… but my curiosity has certainly been piqued, to say the least. I can't help it. Even in this day and age, things still manage to catch my interest."

"Strange, they've managed to catch my interest too, fufufu. Quite the pair of lookers, huh? Something about those two is oddly nostalgic..."

"That's what you'r-"

"Well, I've been cooped up in here for too long anyway." The smug patron stretched as they cut their senior off. "I'm gonna go sightseeing."

"What?! No! I just told you-!" His hands slammed on the table in protest.

"Oh don't piss your pants, old man. I'll stay hidden. As long as it entertains me, that is." After proceeding through the aforementioned electronic door, the younger of the two grins to themselves. "This… seems very exciting, fufufu…"

* * *

"I still remember those two like it was yesterday. Has it really been 200 years?" Nana joined the two under Delphinium's inactive form, smiling fondly at the two statues at its feet. "It's been even longer since I saw them as kids. Those two had to shoulder so much weight, that it seemed like by the time they were adults, they had long since matured."

"You really knew them personally?" the boy chirped with fascination. "What were they like?"

The woman smiled as she began to reminisce about the children. "Ichigo was… strong and proud, despite her stature. Her authority was generally well understood amongst the squad, but at times, she could be obsessive and dense too. Emotions were sometimes a driving force for her, but it wasn't always a bad thing. On numerous occasions, her perseverance and level headedness in the heat of battle kept her squad focused and safe. On the other occasions, her partner Goro made up for what she lacked, keeping her thoughts in check and her eyes on the situation at hand."

"She seems like a hotheaded, bossy bitch," Zakura jeered suddenly. "Right, darling? Reminds me of that Perri or whoever."

"Uh y-yeah…" Come to think of it, he almost felt like he had met that girl somewhere before...

Nana chuckled at the joking young couple. Their maturity was lacking a bit, and their more peaceful lifestyles had altered the way they perceived the world around them to a degree, but without a doubt, they were still Hiro and Zero Two. Somewhere deep inside, she knew they harbored fond feelings towards their old friends.

Soon after, the two had regained focus on their teacher's history lesson, paying close attention as she explained just how important Ichigo and Goro were to the perseverance of humanity; why they deserved the memorial they were given.

With the help of her close friends, Ichigo had established the basis of a governmental system at the tender age of 18. Goro, on the other hand, helped keep the fledgling civilizaliation alive with his efforts at remapping the world as it recovered, and finding resources, even helping rediscover lost history and technology of humanity. In many ways, the two were the mother and father of current day humanity.

"You know, I actually remember the time Ichigo had her first child," the woman added in nonchalantly. "Goro rushed in with her, panicked as she was already into labor, yelling 'It's time, it's time!' He certainly caused some confusion."

Hiko and Zakura exchanged glances, before raising their eyebrows as the ranting woman. "Huh…?" Their faces were painted with utter confusion at the sudden change of tone and topic.

Her eyes closed as she was lost in the memory, Nana was completely oblivious to the perplexed nature of the listener's feelings. "Well, we got her all set up in a hurry. Goro refused to move an inch from her side, which caused some complications, but it could have been much worse. Anyway, when the contractions hit hard, he offered his hand up as sacrifice. That poor, poor hand of his. She broke it like a toothpick. Adrenaline is a hell of a drug, you know."

* * *

"Ichigo… So she finally settled down, huh? Good for her," Zakura faintly commented to nobody in particular, baring a brief smile.

The boy holding her hand whipped his head from the reminiscing woman to Zakura, baffled as he was. "What do you mean?"

It took several moments for the young girl to realize what she had said. She didn't know this Ichigo personally, why in the world would she say something like that? Shock suddenly painted Zakura's face as she flailed her arms in denial. "I-I have no idea! It just came out!"

"Seems like Zero Two is shining through a bit," Nana explained, lowering the amount of confusion plaguing the teenagers. "That's all. It's quite clear to me that you have some type of connection to them, though how far that goes, I couldn't say for sure."

"I guess that makes sense. Zero Two… Who are you?" Zakura felt her consciousness being warped and drug away from reality. Bits of static whispered in her ears, but not nearly as strong as they had been a week or two prior. She knew this feeling all too well, the memories were back.

* * *

This time was different. Much different. It wasn't blurred or vague or blanked out. In fact, it was almost as if she was standing there in person. Everything was vivid, the sights, the smells, the sensations, all of it.

It seemed as though she was in a forest. A light, wet breeze brushed against her calves. Her legs were exposed to the weather, and for some reason, she knew rainfall wasn't far off. Gentle light radiated outwards from a greenhouse from behind, illuminating most of the open area she was standing in.

Without warning, a small hand had clasped her wrist, yanking it back a bit.

"What?" she hissed, turning to view the owner of the hand. A blue haired child had gripped her wrist pleadingly, and she seemed to almost be dragged to her knees. The bottom half of her thin, white sleepwear was coated in a thin layer of mud. There was something about this pathetic looking dwarf that pissed her off to no end. Zakura recognized that hairstyle.

 _Fucking Perri. Why are you in Zero Two's mem- wait…_

The two were almost identical, but there were subtle differences that set them apart from one another. This one had her left side bangs pulled into a hairclip resembling a sparrow in flight. The way she had her head lowered in such a demeaning manner. This certainly wasn't Perri.

"Please don't push Hiro too hard," she requested, her voice quivering with worry. Zakura watched as her hand was yanked from the grip of the smaller girl with a scoff. Indeed, this wasn't Perri, it was Ichigo - the same girl in the memorial.

"Darling was the one who said he wanted to ride with me." Her own voice was not actively aggressive, yet her words felt like they were meant to sting their target. To get her to mind her own business, perhaps?

Ichigo's head remained lowered. "Yes… I know," she responded with surprising amounts of submission. "But try not to put a heavy burden on him, at least." The innocent, chartreuse eyes of hers were on the verge of tears. How simply adorable the sight was.

"Do you want me to give him to you?" The smaller girl's head snapped upwards in an instant, her eyes wide with both shock and a tad bit of hope.

 _She has feelings for him._

"But you tried to ride with him already, and it didn't work."

Her childish face flushed briefly before she retorted. "Leave me out of this!" she cried out, clearly trying to avoid the question.

"Then _stay_ out of it," Zakura's voice hissed, this time actively aggressive and venomous. Her head was adjusted to avert her eyes from the blue haired child.

 _This Ichigo sounds like a totally nosy bitch._

A few moments of silence fell upon the conversation as the blueberry processed the comment.

"Are you trying to suck Hiro dry?" she whimpered, her voice was soft and concerned. It was easy to tell that she was getting close to a breaking point.

"Darling belongs to me," her voice replied dryly, almost without a single care.

"He could die, you know!"

"Sure, he could. But that'd just mean he didn't amount to much." It was suddenly difficult to discern who was friend and who was foe.

 _She's talking about her darling like that!? Wait, am_ I _talking about my darling like that? This is so confusing…_

A moment of silence fell upon the forest. The tiny girl must have had nothing to say. An angry, hissing-like sound emanated from her right, followed by the violent crunching of leaves coating the forest floor. Before she could even react to the sounds, and the sight of a livid Ichigo, she felt her cheek collapse slightly under the weight of an open palm slap.

It wasn't that Zakura could feel the pain, but rather the sensation. The pain was muted, distant. It made sense in her mind. After all, this was just a dream. She was just an observer. She was being allowed to occupy the memory, but Zakura was not truly there.

Something began to slip. What was this… icy cold fury building within her? It was like a raging beast had finally escaped its shackles, and was making its way to the surface. The pressure was immense, there was no way to hold it back any longer.

"You're heartless!", the small blue haired girl yelled at the now slumped over form, which Zakura was occupying.

A soft tap in the grass snapped her from the sensation momentarily. It was a white, scuffed up headband with flashing orange-yellow LEDs; it looked as if it would fit perfectly into place on her horns.

 _Was that… what was keeping this madness in check…? A headband?_

"You really aren't human!"

 _What diD -_

Crack.

 _\- sHe JusT -_

Snap.

 _\- SaY…?_

If the feeling before was the beast escaping its shackles, the feeling now was the limits of her self control being shattered. More and more of this deep seated rage seeped through with every passing moment. Zakura could feel her double fighting to keep her emotions suppressed.

 _There's so much pent up negativity! I feel like it's going to crush me! Is this what she had to deal with all the time?!_

The flow of emotions produced a ruby glint in her eyes as her head gradually rose to face the bewildered face of her assailant. The girl's hands were clutched to her breast, trembling. Her entire posture screamed of regret.

"Human? Human, huh? Let me ask you something then," Zakura's voice was remarkably reserved. By now, the two were face to face, Ichigo's expression torn between fear and remorse for her actions. "What is 'human' to you people?"

A cold, wet breeze took place of an answer. Shock had already captured the blueberry as she stepped backwards. Speechless as she was, the girl took her leave from the scene in a hurry, leaving Zakura's figure alone.

"Human…"

Several raindrops met the lone girl in the forest. She raised her view to the darkened, murky sky. After a few moments, she commented indifferently, "...it's raining." She let the rain drench her thoroughly before letting her own negative feelings out, in the form of tears.

* * *

"Honey? Zakura…?" Her darling's gentle yet concerned voice greeted her back from her strange daydream.

"Wha-? Where- Where am I?" She whipped her head back and forth to evaluate her surroundings. "I'm… I'm not in a forest…?"

"At Memorial Park, with Nana and I. Don't you remember…?"

"There was a-a forest.. And someone who looked like Perri! A-and I could feel the wind and rain…!" Zakura blurted out descriptions of the scene she had just imagined, much to the shock of her company.

Darling's face had beads of sweat forming on it, and his eyes grew more worried with each thing she explained. "You must have had a pretty vivid daydream or something. Come on, let's go rest on a bench." The boy quickly took her hand only to be swatted away in a fit of confusion.

"No! I was there..! I felt it…! It wasn't a dream! … was it…?"

Rubbing his hand from the unnecessary slap, Hiko tried once again to comfort her. "It's alright. You're looking a little pale anyway. Either way, just take it easy. Please?"

Even with her mind a mess, her darling's constantly soft and soothing tone was enough to ground her in current reality once again. "Yeah… Good idea…"

The pair took to a bench nearby, giving Zakura some much needed rest. Hiko had decided that since no pillows were available, his lap could be used as a substitute and insisted she lay down. Zakura, of course, refuted this, explaining that he was meant to use her lap as a pillow. That is, until Hiko quite literally forced her head down onto his thighs.

Not too long after, he had begun to tease her hair with his fingers, observing its texture and length with extreme care. Zakura found it quite sweet and relaxing, especially as he took time between rubbing separate strands to give her scalp a few affectionate strokes. "I love your hair. It's gorgeous," he would comment every once in a while.

The serenity of those moments were perfect. No interruptions, no annoyances. No Perri. Just her and her darling, relaxing with the various calls of nature all around them.

 _If only this could last forever._

* * *

"He's growing quite well it seems. Definitely developing your devilish looks."

"Tomoko has taken good care of him for sure. How long has it been since I've been to see him now?" The voice on the phone sighed in frustration. Talking about the boy was never an easy thing to do for him. "I should have tried to visit him once in a while. What kind of father am I?"

"A very busy one. Your projects there have been a tremendous help to us. Besides, do you really believe she would allow you near him after what happened?"

"No. I have no right to see my child. Still, one of these days, I'm going to tell him the truth, and apologize from the bottom of my heart."

"You should be getting a chance to do that in the coming days. We plan to relinquish some information to Hiko and his partner soon, when they come to visit."

"You must have a reason for wanting to do that, right? You never do anything without a reason, as twisted as it may be," the voice on the other end almost sounded like there was some sort of grudge in play.

"It seems as though your son and his girlfriend are being influenced by some outside sources. Prior acquaintances of mine," centuries-old documents were being combed through meticulously, and with great intrigue.

"My son has a girlfriend?! Yes! Proud of you my boy! Well? Well?! What's her name?"

"I'll send the records your way soon. A pink haired beauty with long legs; goes by the name Zakura Tenshi." The records spoken of were brought up on display, before being attached to an email.

"I heard that comment. You better not be getting ideas…"

"Oh, I've always got ideas. You should know that quite well, Kosei."

"Unfortunately, I do. You better not be thinking anything perverted about my son's -" A notification tone could be heard through the phone, signifying the delivery of the email.

"You got the files? Good."

"..."

"Kosei?"

"Isn't this the girl that you-"

"The very same. My intuition was on point as usual."

"Interesting… very interesting. History repeats itself without fail. Isn't that right, doctor?"

* * *

The tranquil afternoon rest was more than enough to recuperate the two teens. Now back to the proper mindset of the present, they had finally decided to have their guide show them the rest of the way around their destination. Turns out they had barely scratched the surface of what was offered.

 _Delphinium. Argentea. Chlorophytum. Genista. Each giant mech and its piloting team had a place in the corners of the park. According to Nana, the statues of the Franxx were actually the real deal, the true mechs used in the past. However, they had long since been decommissioned and rendered inoperable. The size and scale of them however-_

"Nana. I can't wrap my head around it. The plaques describing each memorial states that the Franxx were close to eighty to ninety meters in height, but they don't look nearly that tall - I would say closer to forty-five meters to fifty meters," Aihiko stated to the guide with a puzzled expression. Large was large, but this was almost incomprehensible at this scale. Maybe he had messed up the math in his head. "Although that may just be my own miscalculations. That's a large variable then…"

"It's likely best not to ask such questions. The mechs are large enough the tower us, and that's all you need to know," Nana replies in a hurry to discontinue Hiko's line of questioning. After giving her unsatisfactory reply, she then proceeds to mumble under her breath. "And that's as much as I can say since the writers clearly didn't even think it through. Damn it, Trigger."

"There's only four here," Zakura interjected with a sour expression. "I've seen all of these before. In my head. I never knew _what_ I was drawing, but there's no doubt about it. These 'Franxx' are clearly the ones I remember. Would that even be the right word-? Recall? Anyway, the point is that there was a fifth one that I could never truly figure out the shape of. And judging by the lack of Hiro and Zero Two you keep speaking of, I can only assume the final one was theirs. The one they piloted-"

"They never came back." Nana's sudden statement caused Hiko and Zakura to remain silent for an extended period of time. Hiko's heart pulsed with pain. Something deep inside told him that she wasn't pulling a prank in the slightest. "We- we couldn't stand a Franxx in the park that we didn't have. Hiro, Zero Two, Strelizia, and Apus… We aren't entirely sure what happened to them. There was a recovery mission shortly before they left us." Nana brushed her hair from her brow with a few fingers and massaged her forehead, trying to repress the guilt of allowing their actions. Not like she would have been able to stop them regardless. "Hiro was intent on bringing back Zero Two after she had connected too deeply to the Franxx consciousness… the mission was to retrieve her, that's all. Things, unfortunately, didn't go as planned. Once Hiro had connected with Strelizia Apus, he warned us that there was no turning back. Apus' programming had them on a crash course to the middle of who-knows-where. Once they left… none of us ever saw them again. We all waited patiently for their return, Hachi, Ichigo, Goro, all of us." The woman had to fight to suppress the urge to cry. She couldn't have done anything to stop them, yet losing those two… it was almost as if losing her own two children.

Silence befell the group once more. Recalled pain in their hearts caused the young couple to intertwine their fingers and squeeze tightly.

 _Zakura, don't worry. I'll never, ever let you go again. I'll never let you experience the pain of an experience like that. Never. Never!_

* * *

 **If only things were that simple.**

* * *

Chapter Nine - Piecing the Past / Together


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